Call for bids in Moroccan domestic tourism projects

2007-07-08

Morocco's Ministry of Tourism announced it will open contracts to build and operate new domestic tourism facilities to international investors. These projects fall under the Biladi Plan to promote domestic tourism in Morocco.

By Lahcen Moqnia for Magharebia in Casablanca – 08/07/2007

[Lahcen Moqnia] Bennani said the investment cost for these projects is an estimated $200m.

Omar Bennani, Director of Investments at the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, announced the start of an international competition to construct and operate eight new tourism destinations in Morocco targeted to domestic travellers.

During a press conference Wednesday (July 4th) in Casablanca, Bennani said the plan for each of these destinations, which will range from 30 to 40 hectares in area, contains both tourism and real estate components, to ensure the project’s financial balance. He noted the investment cost for these projects is an estimated $200m.

Bennani said investors winning contracts will benefit from a climate favourable to investment due to Moroccan measures to stimulate tourism. The government has already announced it will offer the land to be developed at nominal cost, ranging from $2.50 to $6 per square metre.

These projects fall under the Biladi Plan to promote domestic tourism in Morocco, by creating sufficient space to accommodate Moroccan families. The plan's current aim is to boost lodging by 30,000 beds by 2010.

Bennani said the tourist destinations will be located near the cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Agadir, El Jadida, Fez, Oujda and Marrakech, on tourism sites already known to attract Moroccan tourists and easy to develop due to their proximity to roads and water and electric supply networks.

The government has invited bids on three destinations within this plan, according to Bennani, who indicated that interested investors may obtain detailed information about the projects from the Ministry of Tourism, beginning Wednesday (July 4th).

The first project to receive bids is on 40 hectares coastline in Sidi Abed, 30 km south of the city of El Jadida.

The second is on 30 hectares of the Imi Ouaddar coast, near the city of Agadir. The site is close to the Taghazout resort area, where US group Colony Capital is establishing a high-end international tourism destination.

The third project is located in the city centre of Ifrane, capital of the Atlas Mountains. Thirty hectares were also allotted to this project.

Each of the three projects will include hotels, vacation homes and campgrounds, in addition to commercial and entertainment facilities.

Bidding is scheduled to begin July 14th, according to the Ministry of Tourism. Ranking and selection of bids will take place in January 2008, with final agreements to be signed in March 2008.

The Biladi Plan is a component of Morocco's Vision 2010 strategy for tourism development, which also includes the Azur Plan to establish new, high-end international tourism destinations, and the Mada’in Plan to promote Moroccan cultural tourism in historical cities.