• Benin plans to start operating major tourism projects from 2027–2028
• The 2026 tourism budget falls sharply as large construction projects near completion
• The government targets two million tourists a year by 2030

Benin is entering the final stretch of its push to build a new tourism and cultural economy, with several large-scale projects expected to begin operations from 2027, Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Jean-Michel Abimbola said.

Speaking recently before the National Assembly, Abimbola outlined planned spending of CFA37.9 billion for 2026, down from CFA78 billion in 2025. He said the sharp decline reflects the completion of major infrastructure projects launched in recent years and does not signal any scaling back of the government’s ambitions.

Since 2016, the state has mobilized around CFA1,250 billion to implement its tourism, culture, and arts policy, financing projects across several parts of the country. According to the minister, sites currently under construction are scheduled to be delivered and brought into service between 2027 and 2028.

Key investments include a network of modern museums intended to anchor Benin’s cultural offering. These include the Museum of the Memory of Slavery in Ouidah, the MIV museum in Porto-Novo, MuRAD in Abomey, and MIME in Ouidah. The strategy also prioritizes the development of seaside tourism in Avlékété and the promotion of Ganvié as a flagship eco-tourism destination.

At the same time, expansion work is underway at Cotonou airport to raise capacity to 1.5 million passengers per year in the near future. Benin has also begun positioning itself in the cruise tourism market. In 2025, several liners docked at the port of Cotonou, allowing hundreds of passengers to visit the country through organized excursions. Authorities view this segment as a growing channel for international exposure.

Cultural programming has become another pillar of the tourism strategy. Vodun Days, for example, attracted 435,000 visitors in 2025, compared with 97,000 in 2024. Other recurring events include Fashion Month, the Mask Festival, the Cotonou Artistic Nights, and more recently We Love Eya, a large-scale music event aimed at broadening the tourism calendar and audience.

While comprehensive tourism statistics remain limited, local media report a steady rise in visitor arrivals in recent years. Official projections set a target of two million tourists per year by 2030.

Despite the overall budget cut for 2026, capital spending will remain the priority. Investment expenditure will account for 72.88% of planned resources, or CFA27.6 billion. Operating expenditure will total CFA10.27 billion, up 16.32%, with a focus on supporting national cultural and artistic institutions.

Benin aims to raise tourism’s contribution to GDP from the current 6% to 13.4% by 2030, according to official projections. The target is set out in the roadmap defined by the 2025–29 Strategic Plan adopted in June.

The next phase will focus on turning completed projects into economically viable assets and maintaining conditions that support their long-term appeal. The failed coup attempt of December 7, 2025 underscored the importance of political stability in a sector closely tied to international confidence and perception.

Firmine AIZAN

Also read

https://www.ecofinagency.com/news-culture/1411-50501-benin-approves-club-med-resort-as-part-of-1-4-billion-tourism-push

https://www.ecofinagency.com/news/1206-47236-benin-to-invest-1-4bn-to-double-tourism-s-gdp-share-by-2030