Major events, drivers of territorial transformation in Morocco and Africa

Thursday 21st November 2024 01:28 PM

Major events, whether sporting, cultural or economic, play a central role in the transformation of territories. They redefine the image of cities, stimulate the economy and strengthen their international visibility. Morocco, with Casablanca in the lead, is particularly well placed to take advantage of these opportunities, on the eve of major events like the African Cup of Nations 2025 and the 2030 World Cup. However, it is crucial to adopt the right strategy to maximize profits. This is what was discussed during the fifth edition of Africa Place Marketing, organized on November 20 and 21, 2024 in Casablanca, under the theme “Major events: catalyst forterritorial attractivenessholistic and inclusive. Researchers, decision-makers and professionals from various backgrounds discussed the impact of these events on territorial development in Africa.

Major events: levers of attractiveness for Africa and Morocco

In his speech, Mohamed Jouahri, CEO of Casablanca Events and Entertainmentunderlined the importance of the choice of the theme, particularly in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup and the 2025 CAN. These events represent unique opportunities to reaffirm Morocco’s position as a leader in development in Africa. “The theme of this edition highlights the role of events in the transformation of the territory,” he said. Mr. Jouahri also insisted on the need to think about these events strategically, by preparing not only the infrastructure, but also the mobilization strategies around them.

The mayor of Casablanca agreed with this by emphasizing the importance of going beyond simple organization to truly engage the local community. “The events you organize are more visible and better heard where participation is greater,” she stressed. She invited organizers to rethink the way they designed these events, citing the example of the summer in Casablanca, where local initiatives helped to energize the city. However, she recalled that it was necessary to introduce more innovation: “We must look for more innovative formulas. We are looking for international practices and good examples,” she declared, calling for more creative thinking to strengthen the attractiveness of the city, particularly on the occasion of CAN 2025 and the 2030 World Cup. .

A holistic and inclusive approach: the keys to the success of major events

One of the essential points discussed during Africa Place Marketing was the holistic and inclusive approach to major events, as highlighted by Yasmine Alaoui, professor at ENCG Casablanca. According to her, these events must be opportunities to reposition a territory on the world stage and promote its long-term development. She insisted on the importance of taking into account all dimensions of territorial development, from the economy to culture, including the environment. Ms. Alaoui also stressed that attractiveness must be inclusive, so that the benefits benefit the entire population. “A holistic and inclusive territorial attractiveness aims to maximize the benefits and ensure that these benefits benefit the greatest number of people,” she explained, concluding that training programs and community projects would ensure that all segments of the population participate in the economic and social fallout generated by these events.