The sector put under the magnifying glass of a webinar
It is true that the tourism sector, which displays great ambitions, is performing well despite the crisis. However, certain pitfalls continue to lie in wait. The diagnosis was made last Thursday, at the initiative of the CDG institute and the Madaëf group which reports to it, during a webinar entitled “Boosting tourism ecosystems”. All with the contribution of fine connoisseurs in the field who also highlight the cards to be played by the country. This is the case with increasing the time spent in the Kingdom.
Switch to a 4 day stay instead of 2.5
This example is given by the president of the Regional Council of Tourism (CRT) of Casablanca-Settat, Othman Chérif Alami, who specifies: “The average length of stay is 2.5 days”. “We have to go to 4,” he suggests. In his view, thinking regarding overnight stays is supposed to be over. As for rural tourism, all regions have an obligation to invest in it. And that’s not all ! He even expresses himself on the Casablanca cruise pier which cost 600 million DH while its management depends on studies, as well as on the “waste” of the non-use of infrastructures such as the Al Amal stadium closed for 15 year.
The manager, who emphasizes the obligation to have a convention center already recorded in the regional plan, also mentions the figure of 400,000 unemployed people who can be involved in territorial marketing. “You have to start with the citizen by trying to engage him in his region. Thousands of people must benefit from the tourist industry with decisive jobs”, he continues.
At the same time, the speaker, who does not fail to recall the government subsidies to the sector, has ambitions for the 2026 roadmap which aims to reach 6 million tourists. “I hope it will be validated”, he expresses himself. And that’s not all ! for him, the country is “in great demand”. “That’s the real capital,” he says when other participants dig in terms of pitfalls.
Only “some heterogeneity”
For his part, the professor at the Higher School of Technology of Essaouira under Cadi Ayad University, Larbi Safaa, who recalls the celebration of World Tourism Day on September 27, highlights the characteristics of the ecosystem. As he calls it, it is marked by “a certain heterogeneity of actors”. In the meantime, the professor, who reveals everyone’s much stronger desire to travel, does not hesitate to give the example of the Azur plan.
“Only two out of six stations manage to work,” he underlines, recalling that Moroccan destinations are still doing great things. He even goes so far as to offer a “territorial storytelling” by giving the example of Marrakech. He further suggests going “into extratourism resources”. “Training is the poor relation of this sector,” he adds. All this considering that “each of the players has a different business model”.
The quality of the course to be improved
Also in the game, the tourism consultant, Jean Luc Boulin, almost abounds in this direction. “When the customer travels, he finds himself in front of an unorganized ecosystem unless he goes to a resort for example”, he points out, giving the example of the metropolis followingwards.
In Casablanca, there is, as he explains, transport, catering and accommodation nearby. “Even if we cannot coordinate an ecosystem, we can improve the quality of the course”, he recommends, highlighting the principle of “trust”. To this end, it is a question for him of welcoming the visitor “with performance”. It is also, in his view, “valuing the ecosystem so that each company is proud to be part of it”. The adviser even expresses himself on the supposed governance, as he indicates it to be “virtuous in anticipating and being resilient in relation to crises”. “The issue is not promotion,” he says. For him, it is rather a question of “supporting human resources with an organization of supply”. “Good governance is having a crisis management system,” he continues.
Tracks to dig according to Madaëf
For her part, the innovation and business transformation director at Madaëf, a tourist investment company under the CDG Group, Housna Medaghri Alaoui, highlights the support provided by this structure to project leaders. In this sense, she gives the example of the Eco6 program by recalling the October 2020 edition dedicated to Taghazout where a call for projects was launched to “offer funding and support to the winners in order to create their businesses”. She also recalls the organization, in this context, of “meetings clubs by region to create synergy between winners and partners”.
In all, 600 applications were submitted under this program. “20% of the projects relate to the promotion of crafts, 25% are innovative and 30% are carried out by women”, explains the speaker who highlights the involvement of project leaders while proposing retraining projects. towards ecotourism, soft mobility and entertainment, among other things, as avenues to explore. A program that appeals to Mr. Chérif Alami who proposes to extrapolate it to other regions.
