Finance News Weekly: At the end of September 2024, Morocco welcomed 13.1 million tourists, a historic record. How do you read this figure and what, in your opinion, are the key factors that made it possible to achieve such a performance?
Said Tahiri: What is certain is that these performances are not the result of chance. This record figure illustrates the resilience and attractiveness of Morocco as a tourist destination. To understand this performance, we must first recall that tourism in Morocco has experienced hard times since the Covid years. A pandemic which has hit the world and which has not spared our country. Fortunately, there was in-depth work, first by the government, the supervisory ministry and the Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering (SMIT), which has set up several programs worth billions of dirhams, in which professionals, particularly hoteliers, have registered. This allowed us to upgrade our product, renovate hotels, maintain the quality of accommodation and, above all, not lose the expertise and know-how of those who worked in the sector and who risked leaving for other lands. This performance is also the result of an effective promotion strategy masterfully managed by the ONMT teams who, despite limited resources, launched targeted marketing campaigns. Remember the “Morocco, land of light” campaign, launched on April 22, 2022, simultaneously in 22 countries, to correct the effects of the pandemic. It made it possible to emphasize the diversity of the tourist offer, and Morocco was able to position itself as a secure, varied destination, ranging from cultural and seaside tourism to ecotourism and adventure, thus attracting profiles of diverse visitors. The ONMT also did immense work on the ground, to see customers where they were, to reassure them, to confirm the stability and reputation of our destination. This local work was particularcompletely conclusive with several airlines which have increased the number of routes serving our country and developed point-to-point, thus facilitating air accessibility to our destination. Professionals also took part in this dynamic and did not hesitate to take their pilgrim’s staff, and take out the last savings they had left to go see customers at the various international fairs and exhibitions. They were also very well represented by the National Tourism Confederation (CNT) and their trade federations, notably the National Federation of the Hotel Industry (FNIH) and the National Federation of Travel Agencies of Morocco (FNAVM). These have ensured that they support the supervisory authorities in establishing this virtuous dynamic in the tourism sector, through a well-studied roadmap for 2026-2030. So much so that for the first time in the history of our country, in 2023 we will exceed the thresholds of 14.3 million tourists and 105 billion dirhams in foreign exchange earnings. This dynamic continues and the results are there: More than 13.1 million tourists at the end of September, and more than 76 billion DH in foreign exchange earnings at the end of August. It’s just exceptional and it confirms the enormous potential of tourism to support the economic and social development of our country.
FNH: Increasing bed capacity to more than 13,000 beds by 2026 is a priority for the ministry. What are the main challenges to overcome to achieve this objective and how can private players in the hotel sector contribute to it?
S. T. : Achieving the objectives set within the framework of the roadmap requires us to have quality road, port, airport and hospital infrastructure, but also sufficient litter capacity, in order to absorb the flow of tourists wishing to go to our country. We are therefore faced with several challenges. First of all, it concerns financing and investments. Private players must invest massively in the construction of new capacities, but also in the renovation and adaptation of existing structures to international standards. Another challenge: that of training and development of human capital, because we do not sell marble to our clients, but rather a life experience that highlights our culture, our history, our gastronomy, our messages of peace and our heritage several thousand years old. This wealth can only be shared by women and men who are well trained in excellence and who have sufficient comfort of life to allow them to practice their profession and raise in capacity the quality of their service. Also among the challenges is regulatory support, since administrative procedures linked to construction and operating permits will need to be simplified and tax incentives strengthened to encourage private investment.
FNH: The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) recently relaunched its “Ntla9awfbladna” campaign to promote domestic tourism. How can the latter contribute to achieving the Kingdom’s tourism objectives?
S. T. : Domestic tourism is an essential lever to ensure sustained and resilient growth. It contributes to the stability of tourist flows, and represents a permanent cushion for operators, since it makes it possible to compensate for the drop in international flows during periods of crisis. Also, the promotion of internal tourism encourages Moroccans to discover less frequented regions, which promotes more balanced territorial development. The “Ntla9awfbladna” campaign played a central role in encouraging citizens to rediscover their country and boost the local economy. Other proposals could also promote the development of internal tourism. This concerns in particular the spreading of vacation periods over three administrative regions to reduce the pressure of demand on classified establishments. There is also talk of the introduction of tax-free holiday vouchers, a proposal discussed with the supervisory authorities and which could, if applied, boost tourism consumption by Moroccans in their country. FNH: In terms of quality of service, the ministry plans to train many tourism professionals in the years to come. How can this influence the overall tourist experience in Morocco? ST: Continuing training and increasing the skills of tourism professionals have a direct impact on the quality of the customer experience through improved service. Better trained employees can provide more personalized and attentive service, which improves visitor satisfaction. We must also focus on innovation and creativity, because training focused on new technologies and global trends makes it possible to innovate in tourism services and offers. Also, qualified and multilingual staff reinforce Morocco’s reputation as a high-end destination, capable of meeting the requirements of the most demanding travelers. By training a greater number of professionals, Morocco ensures that its move upmarket does not come at the expense of the quality of the service.
FNH: The incubation programs launched by the Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering (SMIT) to support innovative SMEs in gastronomy, gaming and digitalization seem promising. How can these initiatives transform the Moroccan tourism ecosystem?
S. T. : SMIT has clearly played a central role in the positive dynamics of our sector, since incubation programs targeting innovative SMEs in gastronomy, gaming, and digitalization have ensured a huge transformation for the sector. Thanks to the monitoring and support it provides to professionals, SMIT has greatly contributed to the diversification of the tourist offer, with initiatives encouraging the creation of new tourist products, particularly around new technologies and cultural experiences, thus enriching the Moroccan offer. It has succeeded in promoting local know-how, highlighting local products and helping professionals to offer tourists unique and authentic experiences. These incubation programs have also contributed to strengthening the digital ecosystem, thus enabling better management of tourist flows, new booking platforms and a smoother experience for visitors. We can, as professionals, only salute the performance of SMIT and its efforts deployed in a very competitive and difficult international context.
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