DUBAI, 11 June 2024: Emirates will launch flights to Madagascar from 3 September 2024, offering more choice and connectivity for travellers and driving inbound leisure and business travel.
The four-weekly flights between Dubai (DXB) and Antananarivo (TNR) will operate via a linked service with the Seychelles.
Boosting international travel to and from Madagascar, the flight times have been scheduled to optimise connections to and from key points in Europe, the Far East, West Asia and the Middle East/GCC.
EK707 will depart from Dubai to Seychelles at 0855, arriving in Mahe at 1335, and will continue on to Antananarivo to land at 1650. The return flight EK708 departs Antananarivo at 1835, landing in Mahe at 2220. The flight takes off from Mahe at 2350 to Dubai, landing at 0420 the next day. Flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Travellers wanting to combine two holidays in one can conveniently fly between the Seychelles and Madagascar in style and comfort.
Tourism is a critical pillar in Madagascar’s economy, creating thousands of employment opportunities that support the country’s goal to serve one million tourists by 2028. Emirates’ new route will provide connectivity from over 140 points in its global network, supporting the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy to diversify target markets and introduce international travellers to the island’s many natural attractions. Emirates is also discussing with Air Madagascar to offer further global connectivity to promote tourism and trade.
Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Adnan Kazim said: “Madagascar has historically been underserved, despite growing appetite from travellers for authentic ecotourism experiences. Emirates understands the importance of offering customers efficient connectivity and premium travel experiences, and we’re confident that this new service will have a positive impact on boosting Madagascar’s connectivity, offering more opportunities for travellers to discover the hidden gem that is Madagascar, in addition to opening new international business opportunities.”
World Heritage sites
Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island, boasting stunning scenery from white sandy beaches and emerald waters to lush rainforests and national parks and the fossilised shells on limestone plateaus. Colloquially referred to as Treasure Island, it is home to three World Heritage UNESCO sites.
Adventurers can partake in several exciting activities, such as hiking, trekking or quad biking, or take to the seas with kite surfing, scuba diving or whale watching. Animal lovers can visit Lemur’s Park and discover nine types of lemurs, along with other wildlife and fauna, while food lovers can sample the traditional cuisine and delicious local produce.
Madagascar is also home to a wealth of precious biodiversity, with 5% of the planet’s plant and animal species found only on the island. To protect the intricacies of the natural world, Madagascar encourages ecotourism, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in the abundance of nature and embrace the local culture while respecting the environment.
The UAE and Madagascar have grown their bilateral relationship across several sectors, including commercial, logistics and other industries, to reinforce the growth of mutual trade. With the launch of the passenger flight, the airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, will support this by exporting goods via its state-of-the-art hub in Dubai into key markets such as the UAE, China, Indonesia, the US and France, among others.
Fuelled by the country’s entrepreneurial spirit, more Malagasy businesses target global audiences. Offering 22 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity in and out of Antananarivo every week, Emirates SkyCargo will uplift critical commodities such as fresh fruits and vegetables, vanilla, textiles and mining products, transporting them quickly, efficiently and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical specialised product portfolio.
The Dubai- Antananarivo route will be served by the Boeing 777-300ER, with eight First Class suites, 42 Business Class suites and 310 seats in economy. Offering the best experience in the sky, passengers can dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can tune in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment in various languages on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Tickets can be booked now on emirates.com or via travel agents.
