Morocco: regardless of the earthquake, the nation is banking on tourism within the coming years

Gad Elmaleh, Jamel Debbouze and even Arthur: Franco-Moroccan personalities are mobilizing after the earthquake which devastated an enormous space close to Marrakech, leaving practically 3,000 useless in line with the most recent official report. Along with calling for donations, they invite vacationers to proceed touring to Morocco as a result of tourism is a strategic sector, notably on this area.

Even when the nation’s predominant sector of exercise is the auto trade, tourism stays one of many driving forces of the Moroccan economic system. It truly represents greater than 500,000 jobs, or 5% of the lively inhabitants.

7 to eight% of Morocco’s GDP

That is additionally a dynamic area, in line with Jean-Pierre Mass, president of journey firms. “What makes Morocco profitable is its range, its cultural heritage, additionally the areas which go from the desert to the mountains, from the seashore to the plateaus”, he lists on the microphone of Europe 1. With 14 million guests per yr within the nation, “tourism represents 7 to eight% of Moroccan GDP”, continues Jean-Pierre Mass, “however above all it supplies a residing, straight and not directly, to a whole lot of households”, he agrees.

The earthquake got here because the Moroccan authorities seeks to revitalize the tourism sector. After an promoting marketing campaign in 2022, the equal of 560 million euros can be invested as a way to “transfer from a pure vacation spot logic to a transversal and diversified tourism sector logic”, signifies Fatim-Zahra Ammor, the minister Moroccan Tourism. The target of this formidable plan is to draw 12 million further vacationers by 2030.

For Daniele Küss, former head of the worldwide mission in Bercy, this funding is a part of a logic of Morocco’s “smooth energy”. “We all know that tourism is a locomotive for the whole economic system however it goes a lot additional. There’s a diplomatic situation: the picture we give by way of tourism develops attractiveness for investments for areas that aren’t touristy”, explains the specialist. She remembers that it was in Marrakech that the manager council of the United Nations World Tourism Group was held in 2022.