Cotonou, Benin · 11 to 14 November 2027
Black Travel Summit 2027 in Cotonou
The Black Travel Summit comes to Africa for the first time. Léna Escapes is a Cotonou team: we house attendees in whole homes near the Marina, meet every flight and run the days before and after the summit.
Photograph: Voyage au Bénin, official page · benin.bj
- Dates
- 11 to 14 November 2027
- As published on blacktravelsummit.com. The official programme will follow.
- City
- Cotonou, Benin
- First edition in Africa, after Rio de Janeiro (2025) and Milwaukee (2026).
- Organisers
- Black Travel Summit, with Bénin Tourisme
- Announced in Milwaukee on 17 October 2026.
- Venue
- To be announced
- Not published as of 20 October 2026. Our homes are close to the Marina and the airport.
- Passes
- On sale at blacktravelsummit.com
- Your pass comes from the organisers, your home from us.
Since 2019 the Black Travel Summit has gathered Black travellers, creators, travel advisors, hoteliers and tourism boards: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, then Rio de Janeiro in 2025, its first edition outside the United States, and Milwaukee in October 2026. In Milwaukee the organisers announced Cotonou for 2027, with Bénin Tourisme.
For many attendees it will be a first trip to West Africa, and for some a return: Ouidah, the Slave Route and the Door of No Return are forty minutes from Cotonou. A trip like this deserves a base that works: a home that is ready, a driver who is on time, people who answer.
Léna Escapes is an independent local host: we do not organise the Black Travel Summit and are not its official partner. Passes are sold on blacktravelsummit.com.
Where to stay
Whole homes, minutes from the Marina.
The venue is not announced yet. Cotonou's leading conference hotel, the Sofitel Cotonou Marina, sits next to the airport; here is how far each of our homes is from both, in a straight line from its real position.
| Home | Area | Sleeps | Sofitel Marina | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio Le Savè | Cocotiers, next to Omani pastry | 2 | 0.6 km (0.4 mi) | 1.2 km (0.8 mi) |
| Wakina | Patte d'Oie, facing Clinique Mahouna | 3 | 1.2 km (0.7 mi) | 2.0 km (1.2 mi) |
| Karaba | Place des Martyrs, Cadjèhoun | 4 | 1.3 km (0.8 mi) | 2.3 km (1.4 mi) |
| Ayaba | Patte d'Oie, facing Clinique Mahouna | 3 | 1.3 km (0.8 mi) | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) |
| Houefa | Cotonou | 2 | 3.9 km (2.4 mi) | 3.3 km (2.1 mi) |
| Appartement 1G | Fidjrossè, behind Le Hublot | 4 | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Appartement 1D | Fidjrossè, behind Le Hublot | 4 | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Agoua | Fidjrossè, behind Le Hublot | 4 | 5.5 km (3.4 mi) | 4.5 km (2.8 mi) |
| Villa Ewa | Akpakpa, Jak neighbourhood | 8 | 7.2 km (4.5 mi) | 8.2 km (5.1 mi) |
| Chez Akièse | Fidjrossè, Club des Rois | 4 | 8.3 km (5.1 mi) | 7.2 km (4.5 mi) |
Straight-line distances; by car, allow more depending on traffic.
An international summit fills a city's hotels fast.
A 50% deposit holds the home, the balance is paid on arrival. Pay by card from abroad or by Mobile Money. Book as soon as you have your pass.
Your week
From landing to the flight home, one team.
Airport welcome, any hour
We meet your flight at Cardinal Bernardin Gantin airport, day or night, and drive you to your home.
A whole home, not a room
Kitchen, air conditioning, hotel linen, a person at the door with the keys. Rates with electricity included, stated up front.
Summit transfers
A driver for the week, or rides between your home and the venue on each summit day.
Groceries and arrival basket
Your fridge stocked before you land, from a list you send us.
Private chef and group dinners
A Beninese dinner at home for your group, or catering for a reception.
The days before and after
Ouidah, Porto-Novo, Ganvié, Abomey and Grand-Popo, with a driver and a guide.
Tables and nights out
The right restaurants, rooftops and beach clubs in Cotonou, booked for you.
One contact, in English
A concierge in French and English on WhatsApp for your whole stay. A quote before, an invoice after, in your name or your company's.
Cotonou's restaurants, rooftops and beaches · All our services
Groups
Coming as a group?
Delegations and tour groups
Several homes in the same area, held together: one contact, shared transfers, one invoice.
Travel advisors and tour operators
We house your clients before and after the summit and run their days in Cotonou and Ouidah. Ask us for a group quote.
Creators and journalists
Homes designed by our own team, and a driver for your shoots in Cotonou, Ouidah and Ganvié.
Private events
A welcome dinner, a birthday, a reception for your group during summit week.
Plan your trip
What to know before you fly.
Checked on 20 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official sources before you fly.
Visa
US citizens need a visa, and it is not issued on arrival. Apply on evisa.bj between 90 and 7 days before you fly: 50 euros for 30 days, single entry. Passport valid 6 months beyond arrival. Citizens of African countries need no visa for up to 90 days.
Yellow fever
Vaccination cards are no longer checked at entry since September 2026, but Benin's Ministry of Health still recommends the vaccine, and the US State Department page still lists it as required. Get it and carry the yellow card.
Flights
No nonstop flight from the US: connect in Paris, Brussels, Casablanca or Addis Ababa, or in Lomé and Abidjan. Paris to Cotonou: about 6 h 30.
Arrival
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin International Airport (COO) is inside the city. We meet every flight, day or night.
Money
CFA franc (XOF), fixed at 655.957 francs to the euro. Cards in upscale hotels and restaurants; cash and Mobile Money elsewhere. Bring a backup card.
Weather
Dry season. About 31 °C (88 °F) by day, 23 °C (73 °F) at night, sea at 28 °C (82 °F), little rain. Light clothes, sunscreen, one smart outfit for the gala.
Time
UTC+1, no daylight saving. During the summit: 6 hours ahead of New York, 9 ahead of Los Angeles, same time as Paris.
Power
Type C and E sockets, 220 to 230 V. US devices need an adapter; check your chargers accept 220 V.
Language
French is the official language. Our concierge answers in French and English.
Safety
The US State Department rates Benin Level 2 (exercise increased caution) and advises against the far north, on the Burkina Faso and Niger borders, far from Cotonou. In town, big-city common sense. Travel insurance with medical evacuation advised.
Coming from New York · Coming from Paris · When to visit Benin
Before and after
You are flying a long way: keep two or three days for the country.
Ouidah
The Slave Route down to the Door of No Return, the history museum, the Temple of Pythons. Forty minutes' drive.
Porto-Novo
The capital, and the Afro-Brazilian houses of families who came back from Brazil in the nineteenth century. Thirty-five kilometres.
Ganvié
The stilt village on Lake Nokoué, built to escape the slave raids. Half a day.
Abomey
The royal palaces of Dahomey, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A full day.
Grand-Popo
The beach, the mouth of the Mono river and a quiet last day before the flight home.
Benin citizenship for Afro-descendants
Under law 2024-31 of 2 September 2024, amended in July 2025, an adult who shows descent from a sub-Saharan African ancestor deported during the slave trade can apply to have Beninese nationality recognised. Applications go only through the official platform myafroorigins.bj, in English, French, Portuguese or Spanish. Léna Escapes handles no citizenship file: we house you, we drive you, we know the country.
Coming back in January?
Vodun Days in Ouidah, in early January, are the great week of Vodun: ceremonies, masks, dances, and a town that does not sleep.
Organisers, partners and press
Working on the summit?
We would welcome working with the Black Travel Summit and Bénin Tourisme on the 2027 edition: whole homes for attendees who prefer them to a hotel, an airport welcome, transfers, local experiences in Cotonou and Ouidah, and hosting for FAM trips, creators and journalists.
Travel advisors, tour operators, delegations: ask us for a group quote.
Write to us
lenaescapes@outlook.comWhatsApp +229 01 67 60 80 60We reply within 24 hours, usually much sooner.
Summit news
Hear first when the venue and programme are published.
One message when there is news: the venue, the programme, the homes still free. Nothing else, unsubscribe any time.
Frequently asked
- When is the Black Travel Summit 2027?
- The organisers' website gives 11 to 14 November 2027, in Cotonou, Benin. The joint announcement with Bénin Tourisme on 17 October 2026 says the official dates, programme and registration details will be published on blacktravelsummit.com and benintourisme.bj. Check there before you book flights.
- Where in Cotonou will it take place?
- The venue had not been announced on 20 October 2026. Cotonou's leading conference hotel, the Sofitel Cotonou Marina, is next to the airport; our closest homes are under 1.5 km from it. This page will be updated as soon as the venue is published.
- Do US citizens need a visa for Benin?
- Yes, and it is not issued on arrival. Apply on the official portal evisa.bj, no earlier than 90 days and no later than 7 days before you travel. A 30-day single-entry e-visa costs 50 euros. Your passport must be valid 6 months beyond arrival, with a blank page. Citizens of African countries need no visa for stays of up to 90 days.
- Is the yellow fever vaccine required?
- Benin's Ministry of Health stopped checking vaccination cards at the airport and borders in September 2026, and still recommends the vaccine to every traveller. The US State Department page, updated in June 2026, still lists proof of vaccination as required. Our advice: get the shot at least ten days before you leave and carry the yellow card.
- How do I fly to Cotonou from the United States?
- There is no nonstop flight. The usual connections are through Paris (Air France), Brussels (Brussels Airlines), Casablanca (Royal Air Maroc) or Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines), and in West Africa through Lomé or Abidjan (ASKY, Air Côte d'Ivoire). Paris to Cotonou takes about six and a half hours.
- Where should I stay for the summit?
- Near the Marina and the airport for short rides: Studio Le Savè, Wakina, Ayaba and Karaba are 0.6 to 1.3 km from the Sofitel Cotonou Marina. Fidjrossè, by the beach, for a quieter week; Villa Ewa in Akpakpa for a group of up to eight.
- Is Cotonou safe?
- The US State Department rates Benin at Level 2, 'exercise increased caution', and advises against the far north, on the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, a long way from Cotonou. In town, take the precautions of any big city: no valuables on show, a known driver at night. Take travel insurance that covers medical evacuation; the summit organisers recommend it too.
- Can I pay by card? What money do I need?
- Benin uses the CFA franc (XOF), pegged to the euro at 655.957 francs per euro. Cards work mainly in upscale hotels and restaurants; elsewhere it is cash or Mobile Money. Cotonou's ATMs take foreign cards, but bring a backup. Your Léna Escapes home can be paid by card from abroad.
- Can I visit Ouidah and the Door of No Return?
- Yes. Ouidah is about forty minutes' drive from Cotonou. Plan a full day before or after the summit: the Slave Route down to the Door of No Return, the history museum, the Temple of Pythons. We arrange the driver and a guide.
- Can I apply for Beninese citizenship during my trip?
- Applications go only through the official platform myafroorigins.bj, opened in July 2025 under law 2024-31. The first step is an eligibility certificate; the processing fee is 100 US dollars. Léna Escapes handles no file and represents no one: we house you and drive you.
- Is Léna Escapes the summit's official accommodation partner?
- No. Léna Escapes is an independent concierge and short-stay company based in Cotonou. Official hotels, once announced, will be listed on blacktravelsummit.com. We house attendees who prefer a whole home, and we are open to working with the organisers.
Sources, read on 20 October 2026: blacktravelsummit.com · gouv.bj, 18 Oct 2026 · evisa.bj · benintourisme.bj · myafroorigins.bj. Black Travel Summit is a trademark of its organisers; Léna Escapes is not affiliated with it.