Morocco posts highest tourist numbers in four decades for 2007

04/02/2008

The Moroccan government reports visitor numbers hit a record high of 7.4 million last year, putting the country well on its way toward the goal of 10 million tourists by 2010. The comprehensive strategy involves training tourism sector employees, increasing accommodations and optimising air travel.

By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 04/02/08

[Sarah Touahri] Morocco's tourism and crafts minister Mohamed Boussaid said on January 29th that a record number of tourists visited in 2007. "Tourism has become the chief source of investment and job creation in the Kingdom," he said.

Record-breaking numbers announced by the Moroccan government on Wednesday (January 30th) indicate that the country's long-term tourism strategy is paying off. Visitor numbers hit 7.4 million in 2007, a 13% increase since 2006 and the highest tourist tally in four decades. Provisional statistics also showed a jump of 12% in tourism revenues to 59 billion dirhams.

Morocco's plan to welcome 10 million tourists in 2010 is on track, tourism and crafts minister Mohamed Boussaid said at a January 29th press briefing. Since 2001, Morocco has seen an increase in visitor numbers of 3 million, with a further rise of 2.5 million forecast within the next 3 years.

"Tourism has become the chief source of investments and job creation in the Kingdom, as well as a driving force for sustainable development, contributing 8% of the country's gross domestic product," Boussaid said.

The government believes it can deliver on its 2010 goal. One prong of the strategy is the promotion of new beach destinations, with six seaside resorts already licensed by the tourism ministry. These will increase capacity by 111,000 beds, of which 70,000 will be located in hotels. The initiative will also generate 200,000 jobs. The first of these new resorts, Saidia, is expected to open in May 2008.

In a government announcement, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi spoke of a commitment to tourism in rural areas and encouraging domestic tourism. He noted that an increase in bed space capacity from 150,000 to 265,000 will contribute to the creation of over 80,000 direct jobs and swell tourism revenue from the current level of 60 billion dirhams to 90 billion. A new type of accommodation – tourist flats – will also be promoted to boost capacity.

With regard to air travel, the government is seeking to achieve equilibrium between the additional hotel capacity and the number of air passengers, to increase the number of flights provided by mainstream operators and to back up the strategy of targeting new markets through the emergence of new carriers.

Plans are also afoot to set up a human resources and training contract programme to address the tourism sector’s need for qualified staff. The Ministry of Tourism says it will need to establish the financial resources that will be necessary and bring commitments by public and private-sector operators into line with specific targets.

The ministry also intends to draw up a plan for 2010 to 2020 which will adopt a province-based approach to tourism management along with national and regional action plans.

The tourism minister says that the 2020 plan will be based primarily on quality rather than quantity of services.