Gabon in the age of luxury concierge
- 2021-06-27
Luxury concierge services are a thriving market on the continent. Businesses are multiplying everywhere and Central Africa is no exception to this trend. A young Gabonese VIP concierge firm wants to establish itself in this saturated competitive market in Europe. As the prospects open up in Africa and particularly in Gabon. The arrival of a chic clientele in search of new horizons turns things upside down. This sector is now a major opportunity to develop the activity related to personal services.
In Abidjan, Lagos, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa and even Nairobi, we can no longer count the number of companies that have embarked on luxury concierge services to meet the demands of a wealthy clientele. And in Gabon, Carré D'As is making its way, where there are still many places to take. In full growth, the company opted for expansion with "the opening of new services for companies and young people, based on the model of the personal assistant".
Created at the start of the year, Carré d’As intends to promote Gabon by pampering a hand-picked clientele. The game is not won in advance. To build a vision, difficulties are inevitable. The biggest is linked to the current health crisis that has plagued the sector. Nevertheless, "we have full confidence in the various products that we offer because it is an innovative service that meets the demand of our prospects," says Chakir Omer - manager within the company. The start-up intends to promote the destination "Gabon" through a service to the adapted person. Like most concierge services on the continent, this is to simplify the traveller's life by avoiding all the hassle associated with their travel or activities. "We take care of all the organization of the stay upstream and downstream by offering personalized advice," says Chakir Omer. Then he continues: "Another aspect includes the design and realization of events, to make them unique. And finally the third consulting component, will take care of personalized support in the business sector of a businessman ".
A boon for local tourism
If the emergence of this tourism is a trend, it certainly appeals to public decision-makers who have decided to prioritize the development of business tourism. Like the Ivory Coast in West Africa regularly ranked as the number one business destination in the ECOWAS zone, Gabon in Central Africa also acts as a flagship country in this sector and there are many arguments.
"A business trip can for example include a day or more dedicated to visits to national parks", explains Chakir Omer. Gabon located in the Congo Basin has no less than 13 national parks including the Lopé Park classified by UNESCO as world heritage of humanity. Gabon is endowed with a flora and fauna unique in Africa where you can see elephants bathing in the ocean or witness the laying of leatherback turtles. This is how "we are strengthening the visibility of Gabon in order to discover the best kept secret in the world relating to our heritage," he said concerning the biodiversity for which the country is famous.
Through this company, it is also a boon for Libreville to be supported in its strategy of economic diversification. According to the BP Statistical Report, barrel production was estimated at two billion barrels. In the face of this trend, agriculture and tourism appear to be strong allies. And on the latter sector, the Gabonese government has made it clear that this is a priority. A budget of CFAF 8.9 billion has thus been allocated. And he now knows that he can count on Carré D'As to support him in his ambition to make Gabon a leading business destination by also promoting ecotourism on a continental scale.
