2023-12-22 18:12:02
In the introduction, the Minister first underlined the exceptional context characterizing the sector, marked by a new record of 13.2 million tourists at the end of November. She highlighted the main factors which made it possible to achieve these results, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in particular: the remarkable resilience of Morocco in the face of the Al Haouz earthquake, an unprecedented public/private synergy , as well as proactive government action which includes support and recovery measures, as well as the launch of the 2023-2026 roadmap, with funding of more than 6 billion dirhams.
She recalled the important role of SMIT in this roadmap, particularly for the creation of the new offer and the stimulation of investments in entertainment and hotel capacity. In fact, the current accommodation capacity is around 300,000 beds. This figure should reach 340,000 beds by 2026, or 40,000 additional beds.
The Minister said: “Today, significant challenges await us, and SMIT plays a central role. With the co-organization of the 2030 World Cup, these challenges take on a new dimension. Achieving the vision of 26 million tourists by 2030 is becoming within reach, and we must prepare for it while staying focused on the objectives of the roadmap to 2026.”
Imad Barrakad, Director General of SMIT, for his part highlighted Morocco’s considerable progress in the tourism sector under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, currently placing it among the most attractive countries for international tourism investors.
The past two years have seen several significant achievements for SMIT, including the implementation of government initiatives led by Fatim-Zahra Ammor. These are the Forsa program which made it possible to finance 21,200 project leaders in two editions, the support program for post-Covid tourist establishments which enabled 800 classified establishments to upgrade their products and services, as well as in 2023, the ongoing deployment of the emergency plan for tourist establishments affected by the earthquake, launched by the government in response to His Majesty’s High Instructions.
SMIT’s efforts have also been considerable in terms of investment, since it has managed to attract numerous foreign investors as well as renowned international chains (Westmont, Kasada, Barcelo, etc.), thus contributing to the opening of 104 new hotels in 2023.
In 2024, SMIT will focus its efforts on stimulating investments to create the 9 tourism sectors of the new offer of the roadmap. It will also pay particular attention to supporting small and medium-sized tourism businesses, an essential link in creating a distinctive entertainment offer that meets the evolving expectations of tourists in terms of authentic and unique experiences.
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