Tourism in Morocco - the Latest Numbers

A total of 9.7 million tourists visited Morocco between January and October 2017, an increase of + 9% compared to the same period last year, says the Observatoire du tourisme

The number of foreign tourists has increased by 14%, while the arrivals of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) have increased by 5%, says the Observatory of Tourism which has just published its statistics on the Moroccan tourism covering the first 10 months of 2017.

This rise affected the main issuing markets, in particular Germany (14%), Holland (8%) and France (7%), according to the same source. As for emerging tourism markets for Morocco, they maintain their upward trend, with China recording a 203% increase, while Japan, South Korea, the United States and Brazil posted respective increases of 40%. %, 33%, 30% and 51%. The total nights spent in classified tourist accommodation establishments recorded a 15% increase during the first 10 months of 2017 (+ 19% for non-resident tourists and + 8% for residents).

The two tourist hubs Marrakesh and Agadir alone generated 60% of total overnight stays at the end of May, the Observatory said, noting that these two cities experienced an increase of 18% and 12%, respectively.

Other destinations also performed well, especially the cities of Fez and Tangier with respective increases of 37% and 26%. As for the occupancy rate until the end of October 2017, it reached 44%, up 4 points over the same period last year.

In addition, revenues generated by tourism activity by non-residents in Morocco amounted to MAD 59.2 billion (MMDH) at the end of October 2017, compared with MAD 56.1 billion a year earlier, an increase of 5%.

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How Safe is Morocco?

New data, which assesses crime rates, terrorism threats, risk of natural disasters, and health issues in 20 countries, revealed Morocco as a destination with less crime and terrorism compared to some European countries, and the USA

Iceland tops the safety chart - Morocco in eighth place

Morocco is considered safer than Jordan, France, Greece, Turkey, South Africa and Italy.

The study’s crime rates are based on statistics by the World Economic Fund, likelihood of major natural disasters on the World Risk Report, health risks on the NHS Fit for Travel website, and terrorism risk levels on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) assessment.

In terms of terrorism worldwide, “Terrorism can’t be ruled out anywhere,” the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office says. However, the report states that terrorism is “very likely in Australia, Jordan, France, the US, India, Thailand and Turkey,” more so than in Morocco and other countries.

Health risks are notable in travel destinations such as Singapore and Australia affected by dengue fever, and areas of India, South Africa, and Thailand affected by malaria, according to the report.

Morocco ranks among the world’s least dangerous countries, according to the US Department of State’s January report.

The US State Department advised Americans visiting Morocco to “exercise normal precautions”. The department advises US travelers to be extra cautious in Algeria or avoid it because of high terrorist threats.

Morocco received 8.7 million tourists from January to August 2018, according to the latest statistics by the Ministry of Tourism. Tourist arrivals from Italy made the most considerable increase between the first eight months of 2017 and 2018, rising 14 percent. German tourist numbers increased 10 percent, French 7 percent, and Dutch 6 percent.

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The "Sound and Light of Fez" to Return

After many years of absence the "Sound and Light of Fez", an initiative dedicated to the revival of the tourist animation of the city is back. A convention was concluded in this direction during the October session of the Fez Commune. The show will be funded up to 2 million DH jointly by the Council of the Region (1.5 million DH) and the Commune (500,000 DH).

The Commune of Fes undertakes to make available to the Foundation "Spirit of Fez" all buildings and equipment existing within the structure 'Sound and Light of Fez', in order to exploit them and allow it to start its activities.

The original son et lumière was held in the evenings in a small amphitheatre in Borj Sud. Borj Sud «the Southern tower» was built by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Addahbi (the golden) in a period of time ranging between 1587 and 1609 by Portuguese prisoners in order to improve the defence of the Medina and to intimidate the local Fassi population.

The southern fort is located face en face with the northern tower, the two towers are said to be linked with an underground tunnel used by soldiers and guards to cross the Medina quickly and freely with their horses, but nowadays this tunnel is closed. Some people think that the tunnel has never existed - hopefully, time will tell.

The tower offers a panoramic view over the Old Medina and its environs, and that is why it hosted the original sound and light of Fez show.

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Moulay Yacob Thermalia Spa Hotel Opens

The new Vichy Thermalia Spa Hotel was opened last night at Moulay Yacob, 21 kilometres from Fez - Suzanna Clarke reports for The View From Fez

Located 21 kilometres north of Fez, Moulay Yacoub has had thermal baths for centuries. With a high mineral content, they are particularly used to treat medical conditions such as rheumatism and respiratory problems.

The old spa facilities at Moulay Yacoub have been stylishly refurbished and now include a 4,000 square meter thermal center and spa, as well as a four star hotel with 100 rooms. The hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool heated to 34 degrees celcius all winter. There is also a new restaurant, Le Minéral, featuring healthy gourmet cuisine and a bar, Celestins.

Vichy General Manager Jerome Phelipeau

A cocktail party was held to celebrate the opening, and the general manager of Vichy, Jerome Phelipeau, welcomed the new hotel to the prestigious group.

Vichy Thermalia General Manager Chrisophe Roux

The manager general manager of Vichy Thermalia, Christophe Roux, says that the re-development has taken more than a year and a half, and he is delighted by the results.

For more information, CLICK HERE. 

Photos and story: Suzanna Clarke

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Chinese Tourists Drive Restaurant Growth

During the first five months of the year, nearly 100,000 Chinese tourists visited the kingdom taking advantage of the visa exemption introduced in 2016

According to the representative office of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT) in China, 120,000 Chinese nationals visited the kingdom in 2017. But in the first five months of this year, this number has already reached 100,000.

"Since Morocco announced the visa waiver for Chinese citizens in June 2016, the number of Chinese tourists to Morocco has increased rapidly and the boom is far from over," reports Global Times.

Chinese restaurants in Morocco are among the first beneficiaries of the massive influx of Chinese tourists.

Liu Mei, owner of a Chinese restaurant in Rabat, told Xinhua that after the visa waiver for Chinese citizens, the number of Chinese tourists in his restaurant has increased significantly.

In 2017, the turnover of its restaurant has doubled compared to the previous year.

Huang Zhiyong, a restaurateur in Casablanca, said his restaurant was also doing good business. At present, it receives an average of 6,000 clients per month, 70% of which are Chinese tourists and businessmen.

Before the visa exemption for Chinese citizens, the number of Chinese restaurants in Morocco was no more than five. At present, the number has increased to over 20.

A Chinese travel agency in Morocco, AMC Voyages, says it is very optimistic about Morocco's tourism market. Its director, Lin Chaoxin, told Xinhua that since the launch of the visa-free policy in June 2016, Chinese tourists have shown growing interest in visiting Morocco.

He said Morocco has unique tourism resources and that the number of Chinese travelers to the kingdom over the next decade will continue to increase. A trend confirmed by the Chinese ambassador to Morocco, Li Li, who said that since the exemption of Morocco's visa for Chinese citizens, the number of Chinese tourists has increased significantly, ranking first in the growth of foreign tourists in the kingdom.

Li said that 2018 marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Morocco "will seize the opportunity to deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields, including tourism."

Hundreds of Chinese are employed in the tourism industry in Morocco. Zhang Kai, an Arabic-language graduate from the Beijing Foreign Studies University, who has been working in the sector for two years in Morocco, believes the influx of Chinese tourists will continue.

The People's Daily, a major Chinese newspaper , says that at the moment, in spite of hot weather, one can observe Chinese people everywhere in Morocco, from Tangier to the desert of the Saharan provinces.

The Chinese daily comments that since the abolition of visas for Chinese citizens in June 2016, the number of Chinese tourists in Morocco continues to increase, and this trend is not about to weaken.

It is that Morocco has many attractions, said the Chinese daily quoting, among others, the long coastline, as well as the Sahara desert, snow-capped mountains, ancient cities and other scenic spots and a rich cultural heritage, in short abundant tourist resources.

According to the Chinese newspaper, tourism is one of the main industries of Morocco. By 2020, the Moroccan government hopes to make the country one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world. As a result, Morocco is paying more and more attention to Chinese tourists, who represent significant potential.

The paper reports that, during the China-Morocco Tourism Forum, held last February in Casablanca, Mohamed Sajid, the Minister of Tourism, said that Morocco attaches great importance to cooperation in the field of tourism. tourism with China. He also pledged to continue to improve infrastructure, hotel standards, transport quality and to strengthen air transport capacity between the two countries. Ultimately, the minister hopes to attract 500,000 Chinese tourists each year by 2020, with the implementation of this policy of openness in this market.

However, some Moroccans question the target of only 500,000, given that there are 400 million Chinese tourists who leave each year on vacation.

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12% increase in tourist arrivals in Morocco at the end of April

A total of 3.4 million tourists visited Morocco between January and April 2018, up 12% over the same period a year earlier, according to the Tourism Observatory.

The number of foreign tourists (TES) increased by 19%, while the arrivals of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) increased by 1%, says the Tourism Observatory which has just published its statistics on Moroccan tourism for the month of April 2018.

This increase affected the main issuing markets, particularly Italy (18%), Germany (+ 14%), France (11%), the United Kingdom and Holland (10% each), notes the Observatory. .

Regarding the total nights registered in classified tourist accommodation establishments, they increased by 10% during the first 4 months of 2018 (+ 13% for non-resident tourists and + 4% for residents).

The two tourist hubs Marrakesh and Agadir alone generated 61% of total overnight stays at the end of April, the Observatory said, noting that these two cities saw an increase of 12% and 8%, respectively.

Fez Visitors Up 25%
Other destinations also performed well, especially the cities of Fez, Tangier and Rabat with respective increases of 25%, 12% and 13%.

In addition, revenues generated by tourism activity by non-residents in Morocco amounted to 21.1 billion dirhams (MMDH) at the end of April, compared to 17.9 billion dirhams a year earlier, an increase of 18%.

During the month of April, the number of tourist arrivals at the border posts has increased by 4% compared to the same month of 2017 (8% for the TES and -2% for the MRE), adds the Observatory .

Oujda-Saïdia: 22% increase in tourist nights at the end of April

Oujda - The number of tourist nights recorded at the end of April 2018 in tourist accommodation establishments in the cities of Oujda and Saïdia amounted to 85,601, compared to 70,075 nights booked during the same period of 2017, that is an increase of 22 pc.


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Changes to Expat Visas In Morocco

It appears that the days of doing a "visa run" every three months in order to remain in Morocco may well be over. The regulations now state, quite clearly, that in any twelve month period a visa is only good for a total of six months 

Foreigner visiting Morocco means persons of foreign nationality having their habitual residence abroad and whose length of stay in Morocco does not exceed six (06) months in a period of twelve (12) years. ) months. Moroccan Government website

In the past it was possible to exit Morocco at the end of a three month visa and then return to Morocco and receive a new three month visa. The most popular "visa run" destinations were Spain or the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Recently stories have circulated on social media of expats making a visa run and being refused entry back into the country as they have spent more than six months in Morocco.

Arriving in Morocco
Upon arrival at the airport you should receive a stamp in your passport. Make sure that you acquire this stamp as there have been reported situations where a stamp was not placed on a traveler’s passport and consequently, it made it difficult to leave Morocco without proof of entry.
Extended Stay or Permanent Relocation to Morocco
If you are already in Morocco and want to permanently relocate, or you are an exchange student, you must go to the local Moroccan police station in the district you reside. There you can contact the Bureau des Etrangers, an immigration authority, and apply for a residency permit. Applying for an extended visa can be a timely process so what some travellers do is take a trip outside of Morocco for one or two days before their three months are up. However, be aware that in a few cases people tried this and were denied re-entry until they contacted the nearest Moroccan embassy to re-apply.

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Tangier's New Fishing Port and Marina

On Thursday in Tangier King Mohammed VI inaugurated a new fishing port and Tanja Marina Bay, two structuring projects including conversion of the port area of ​​the city at a cost of more than 6 billion dirhams

These two projects aim to make the city of Tangier a destination of choice for pleasure tourism and cruises on an international scale and the improvement of the conditions of fishing professionals by offering them modern facilities that meet their needs.

The new fishing port of Tangier required a budget of 1,189 million dirhams and will provide an ideal working environment for fishing professionals, will allow a better development of the fishing sector in the region, and help boost investment and create more jobs in the sector.

This new fishing port comprises 1,167 metres of protective structures, 2,537 metres of berthing and wharfage piers, 11 ha of ponds and 12 ha of berths. It houses all the equipment necessary for the proper functioning of the port, including ice factories, cold stores, a standard container management unit, stores for shipowners and wholesalers, premises for artisanal fishermen, coastal and offshore fisheries, a hall for artisanal fisheries, a shipyard, ship repair shops and administrative buildings.

The centrepiece of the port is the fish market for coastal and offshore fisheries. Located in the heart of the port, this hall has a refrigerated exhibition and sales area, a reception hall for the identification and weighing of products, an airlock and shipping, cold rooms, a fish counter and a veterinary office.

This seafood marketing infrastructure focuses on improving quality, product valuation, the fluidity and transparency of commercial transactions, and the development of fishing activities in the region.

Built according to the most demanding international quality standards, this hall is equipped with technologies that ensure the computerisation of the sales process as a whole. The computerisation which allows in particular to maximise the speed and the transparency of the transactions and which ensures a rigorous follow-up of the traceability of the products.

Another structuring project inaugurated by the King is the marina Tanja Marina Bay, made for a global investment of 635 million dirhams and offering important infrastructures dedicated to the reception of the sailors eager to discover the charm of Tangier.

With its 800 moorings for boats ranging in length from 7 to 90 m, and the 600 rings for boats of 7 to 30 m planned under the second tranche, this marina, located in the heart of the bay, offers the largest number of moorings in the Kingdom and a multitude of services to international standards.

This marina is also equipped with food and entertainment areas, covered parking with a capacity of 435 seats, a nautical club, and a resort.

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Moroccan Tourism Update

The city of Agadir has passed the milestone of one and a half million overnight stays during the first four months of the current year, according to statistics from the Regional Council of Tourism (CRT) Souss-Massa. Overnights rose by 10.10% to 1,512,929 against 1,374,162 for the same period last year

The analysis of cumulative arrivals during the first four months of the current year also shows an increase in arrivals from 301,171 to 333,012 this year, up 10.57%. French tourists achieved the highest number of overnight stays, 361,624, up 22.32%, followed by German tourists with 277,363 units, or more than 9.10%, while nationals ranked third with 218,762 , down 3.07% from the first four months of 2017.

In terms of ranking by tourist accommodation type, tourist villages lead with a total of 481,600 overnight stays, followed by 5-star hotels (321,563 overnight stays) and 4-star hotels (306,977 overnight stays). The average occupancy rate in classified hotels in Agadir during this period is 52.51%, the CRT indicates that the classified tourist villages reached a rate of 66.47, followed by 5-star hotels with 64.25%.

Emirates doubles its Far East passenger numbers

Emirates Airlines announced on Wednesday (June 6th) that it has succeeded in doubling its number of passengers from the Far East to Morocco and boosting the Kingdom's trade dynamics by introducing the iconic A380 aircraft in March 2017.

Emirates passenger numbers from China increased by more than 200% in December 2017 compared with the same month of 2016, and passenger volumes from Hong Kong increased by more than 100% in the same period where the number of travelers arriving from Japan has improved by more than 60%, said the airline in a statement.

Present in Morocco for 16 years, Emirates "plays an important role by connecting Morocco to markets located in other regions of the world, thus facilitating the economic and commercial activity of the Moroccan economy and allowing the Kingdom to realise one of the main goals of its Open Skies policy, "the airline says.

"We are proud of the fact that, thanks to the A380, we have managed to help strengthen the commercial and tourist relationship that Morocco has always shared with destinations in the Far East and the Middle East. Air transport is no longer a luxury product, it has taken the form of a large industry that can bring enormous benefits to developing economies and unleash their full potential for trade and tourism, "commented Khalid Al Zarooni, Managing Director of Emirates in Morocco.

Emirates operates a daily flight from and to Casablanca. Thanks to the new A380s, Emirates passengers benefit from excellent connections to the main markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), East Asia and Australia. These serve many cities around the world such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, as well as several airports in Saudi Arabia.

The company currently employs more than 670 Moroccans spread across the Group's various departments, the majority of whom are Dubai-based cabin crew.

With its A380, Emirates has been able to redefine the premium travel experience, the source said, noting that first-class passengers have private suites, as well as access to spa showers. at their disposal on board the plane.

Emirates is the airline that uses the largest number of Airbus A380s in the world. Since 2008, Emirates has transported more than 96 million passengers aboard its flagship aircraft. The airline is also the largest customer in the world for the A380. In addition to the multiple A380s that are already in service, another 60 are awaiting delivery by Emirates.

Committed to respecting the environment, Emirates says it operates one of the youngest and most energy-efficient aircraft fleets in the world. So far, Emirates has introduced A380 services in no less than 48 different destinations around the world. Its current fleet consists of 102 Airbus A380s that serve 71 airports.

Royal Air Maroc strengthens its cargo fleet

The Moroccan airline, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) which intends to impose itself more on the air cargo market, has just acquired a new cargo aircraft.

The Boeing B767-300 Freighter that has a capacity of 45 tons and a long flight time (11 hours against 4 before). This aircraft reinforces the RAM Cargo fleet of 56 aircraft, including 11 widebody aircraft.

This new B767-300 Freighter "will give an undeniable boost to the freight business on a network that continues to expand," said director RAM Cargo, Amine El Farissi.

In fact, the RAM Cargo has, until now, provided freight services on all lines served by the Moroccan national airline, using only the bunker capacity of passenger aircraft and those of a Freighter capacity of 15 tons.

With its new acquisition, RAM Cargo will now offer 3 new products, namely Cargo Pharma for sending temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals, Cargo Stable for transporting horses and large live animals, and Cargo. Outsize for oversized shipments.

But more importantly, RAM Cargo will now be able to connect more African countries through the network of the parent company and its airline partners, in line with the development strategy on the continent.

As a first step, the regular program of all Cargo RAM flights will cover 9 destinations in Africa and Europe, including Brussels, Frankfurt, Algiers, Nouakchott, Accra, Lagos, Abidjan, Lome, and Bamako.


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Morocco: Operation "Marhaba 2018" Begins Today .

The operation to welcome Moroccans living abroad "Marhaba 2018", begins today (Tuesday, June 5th) and will continue until Saturday, September 15th

The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity  which contributes to the implementation and organisation of this unique humanitarian operation, reactivated its 20 reception areas in Morocco and abroad, to support the intensity of the record maritime and air traffic. In Morocco, these are the rest areas Mediterranean, Taourirte, Tazaghine and Jebha, as well as sites for the ports of Tangier Med, Tangier City, Nador and Al Hoceima, entrances of Bab Sebta and Bab Mellilia, as well as Casablanca Mohammed V, Oujda Angad, Agadir Al Massira, Fes Saïss and Marrakech Menara airports. Abroad, the Marhaba reception sites are located at the European ports of Almeria, Algesiras, Motril, Sète and Genoa.

In addition, the Foundation provides the Marhaba mobile application and the dedicated website www.marhaba.fm5.ma to members of the community for transit procedures, dedicated services, travel tips as well as useful contacts. They also provide access to useful and useful features such as geolocation and online support.

In the 20 spaces developed by the Foundation, a staff of nearly 1,000 people, including social workers, doctors, paramedics and volunteers, is mobilised to assist Moroccans living abroad and provide them with the necessary assistance . A call service is also available, operational 7 days a week and 24 hours a day, at the following telephone numbers: 00 212 537 20 55 66/00 212 537 20 6666, and through the toll-free number accessible from the kingdom: 080 000 23 23.

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Moulay Yacoub: spa complex and hotel officially opens after Ramadan

The Vichy thermalia hotel Moulay Yacoub and the spa Moulay Yacoub, located about twenty km from Fes, officially opens their doors after Ramadan 

This project is part of a plan to modernise the baths of Moulay Yacoub.  The project, at a cost of 400 MDH, was managed between Sothermy and Vichy Spa International, a subsidiary of the Compagnie de Vichy , a leading French group in the field of hydrotherapy and well-being.

The aim of this partnership is to make baths a vector of development throughout the Fez-Meknes Region, thanks to positive socio-economic benefits for the village of Moulay Yacoub.

This development project aims to make Moulay Yacoub a spa with international standards and allow it to play the role of essential component of the tourism offer of the region of Fes Boulemane.

Previously, the thermal baths of Moulay Yacoub welcomed a million visitors a year, a figure expected to increase after the commissioning of new modern equipment.

The hotel has 100 rooms : 58 standard category (about 32 m2), 35 superior category (about 40m2) and 7 suites (from 63 to 80 m2).

It also has 3 food outlets, 3 meeting rooms for up to 100 people, a heated outdoor pool, a gym and a spa.

The region will now have two high class facilities after the opening of Rim Aquatic (see story here)

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World Class Water Park and Hotel Opens in Fez

The province of Moulay Yacoub, known for the virtues of its thermal water, is fast becoming a destination of attractions and recreation. Developer, Hassan Belamkaddem, has invested more than 140 million DH for the construction of a gigantic water park, "Rim Aquatique", on the road to Meknes, not far from the centre of Ras El Mae

Spread over an area of ​​6 hectares, the project includes three swimming pools, an artificial beach, 46 luxury suites, two restaurants with a capacity of 600 seats, a go-kart track, a garden, a playground, in addition to a park with trees.

"As I am originally from this province, I wanted to make a big investment to create an economic activity and offer work to young people," says Hassan Belamkaddem (pictured left). The centre provides for the creation of 500 jobs.

While the structural part is completed, the finishing of the guest rooms is in full swing. "We have imported Egyptian showers, Russian children's games and other equipment, such as water slides, from around the world. The "Rim Aquatique" project required 4 years of research, work and realisation.

"Its goal is to attract domestic and foreign tourists, "says Belamkaddem. The challenge, he says, is to build a modern recreation centre that meets international standards, especially in terms of safety. The project dedicated to families is the first in the region.

"We have a large pool, a learning pool with sledges, static waves, a play lagoon, a Jacuzzi, changing rooms, toilets, an infirmary, as well as administrative, storage and household complex," underlines the management of the project.


The opening to the public was on Saturday, May 5, 2018, a few days before the start of the summer holidays.

See more video here: Rim Aquatique

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Morocco Plans to Attract More Than 40,000 Indian Tourists by 2019

First it was the Chinese who were attracted to Morocco in large numbers and now it appears that Indian travellers will make up the next wave of new tourists

In an interview with India's press agency Press Trust of India, HM the King's ambassador to India, Mohamed Malki, said "Morocco, which has welcomed 21,850 Indian visitors in 2017, plans to double that number in 2019 by adopting several measures."

He said that the first step, to this end, is the opening of an office of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT) in New Delhi to promote the destination Morocco to the Indian market with high potential.

"The opening of an ONMT representation, within two to three months, will enable us to plan strategic promotional programs in order to benefit from the Indian market that offers great opportunities," said M Malki, who previously held a meeting with some thirty travel agencies specializing in event tourism in the economic capital Mumbai.

During this meeting, organized in collaboration with the world's oldest travel agency "Cox and Kings Global Services", founded in 1758, the Moroccan diplomat reviewed the main tourist attractions of the Kingdom and the historical monuments which abound the country.

Mr. Malki noted that the measures adopted by Morocco are likely to encourage Indian citizens to plan their trip to this destination, adding that "with the expected increase in the number of Indian tourists, we need to facilitate the obtaining visas for Morocco."

On this occasion, the Ambassador of Morocco in New Delhi emphasised the deep relations between Morocco and India, saying that the governments of the two countries have reached an agreement on air transport to strengthen the between the two countries.

Morocco is banking on a strong presence in the Indian tourism market in the coming years, Abderrafie Zouiten, Director General of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO) said.

In an interview to the Arab Maghreb News Agency (MAP), at the end of a working visit to New Delhi, Zouiten said that India is poised to have a large middle class of nearly 300 million which can be tapped by the Moroccan tourism sector.

During his India visit, the ONMT obtained Indian permission to open a regional office in New Delhi in early 2018. Zouiten said the development reflects the “fruitful” cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Embassy of Morocco in India.

He said the opening of the second regional office in Asia, after Beijing, reflects the distinguished relations between Morocco and India.

He said that Morocco-Indian ties have been strengthened, especially after the visit of King Mohammed VI to New Delhi in October 2015 for the India-Africa Forum Summit. He noted that the Kingdom, through the new office in India, could position itself favourably in the tourism market.

Zouiten described as fruitful his meetings with Indian Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons, and officials and representatives of the tourism sector and air transport, saying the two sides discussed ways to strengthen exchange, expertise and cooperation in the field of tourism.

Zouiten said they would soon organize a visit to Morocco for representatives of tourist organisations in New Delhi. Cooperation and partnership agreements will be signed at the next joint working meetings between tourism stakeholders from both countries, he said.

He stressed that Morocco is keen to enhance its cooperation with India in the tourism sector, in harmony with its new orientation towards emerging Asian destinations outside the traditional tourist markets.


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Airbnb and Booking.com to be Taxed in Morocco

According to the US site Bloomberg, Airbnb and Booking.com will be taxed in Morocco from 2019. It is seen as a victory for Moroccan hoteliers and travel agencies, and will result in a possible price increase for users of both booking platforms

The new tax, effective in 2019, is expected to delight professionals in the Moroccan tourism sector who have been denouncing the lack of tax fairness for several months.

According to Medhi Taleb, central director in charge of regulation, quality and development at the Ministry of Tourism, quoted in the article of our colleagues, "undercover inspectors will work in collaboration with officials of the Ministry of Tourism as well as responsible for the tax authorities to ensure the application of this measure".

According to the same source, the authorities will also help Moroccan online travel platforms to offer attractive offers to strengthen their presence on international sites such as Booking.

A tax that has proven itself in Europe

With the implementation of this new measure, Morocco will join the list of countries that apply taxes to such platforms. A list that already includes France, Spain, Germany or the United States.

In large cities in France for example, where the number of nights is limited to 120, professionals who provide a booking service or rental of accommodation online are subject to the tourist tax. For the year 2017, Airbnb will for example pay €13.5 million to local authorities in France.

On December 8, the French National Assembly decided that from January 1, 2019, municipalities may increase the tourist tax on this type of accommodation.

Such a tax should, eventually, bring money back to the Moroccan state, as 60% of the 10 million tourists who arrive in Morocco plan their trips on the Internet.

But, as in France, the collection of this tax will inevitably have repercussions on the users. The site of Airbnb states: " In the cities or regions where Airbnb has agreements with local authorities, Airbnb calculates the applicable local taxes and removes them from travellers at the time of Airbnb then pays the collected taxes to the relevant tax authorities on behalf of the hosts ".

The tax is welcomed by hoteliers and travel agencies in Morocco who have denounced the present situation as unfair competition. For Samir Kheldouni, CEO of Chorus Consulting, specialising in supporting tourism investors, this tax is a victory.

" Airbnb is an indispensable tourist actor in Morocco, but it is perfectly normal that it be taxed in the same way as the conventional hotel business.This situation of unfair competition was no longer acceptable, " he says.

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Fez, Rabat and Tangier have Flights to Agadir

Air Arabia has announced the launch of a connection between Rabat and Agadir.  The company is also to include two flights from Tangier and Fez to Agadir under the partnership with the Regional Council Souss-Massa.

More than six months after the launch of its air base at Agadir-Al Massira airport, the company wants to link the resort to the capital. This is apparent from the convention that will be submitted to the study and approval of the members of the Regional Council Souss-Massa, at the special session scheduled for Thursday, exclusively dedicated to tourism. On the side of Air Arabia, the objective is also to include, in the framework of the partnership with the regional council, two other connections from Tangiers and Fez to develop domestic tourism. Meanwhile, the Regional Council Souss-Massa undertakes, under this convention, to inject 12 MDH per year for a period of three years, while the price of one way was set at 300 DH for the 80 first seats.

5 months after the launch of the Air Arabia Air Base at Agadir airport, the airline is programming 14 rotations per week to 7 European destinations. According to the management of the company, the filling rate recorded during the first months of the launch is satisfactory, being around 60%.

The low-cost air carrier has, among other things, engaged in promotional activities, particularly with the Scandinavian markets (Denmark and Sweden). One of these actions was the organisation of press trips and eductours, in addition to participation in fairs, including the Danish Travel Show. During this period, the company focused on targeting 60,000 visitors, including 4,000 tourism professionals from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. That said, it should also be remembered that the low-cost airline has transported nearly 45,000 passengers from Dublin, Manchester, Toulouse, Cologne, Munich, Stockholm and Copenhagen, 83% of which are tourists.

Air Arabia Web Site

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Morocco Sees Increase in Spanish Tourists

Morocco is the number one destination for Spanish tourists when it comes to travel outside Europe, according to the delegate of the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT) in Madrid, Mohamed Sofi

"For the previous year, there are more than 2,350,000 Spanish tourists who visited Morocco, an increase of 8% compared to 2016," Mohamed Sofi said in a statement on the sidelines of the Technical Days of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV), which was held in Marrakech from March 15 to 18 with the participation of representatives of more than 86 travel agencies from Spain.

The Spanish market is the 2nd largest tourist market for Morocco just after France.

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Tangier Tourism Growth Up 27%

Classified tourist establishments in Tangier registered 608,654 arrivals in 2017 against 478,170 a year earlier, an increase of 27%

Thus, the number of international visitors who went to Tangier stood at 312,074 tourists during the year 2017 (+ 49% ), while national tourists totalled 296,580, up 10% over to 2016, with an average stay of two days.

The various classified hotel units of Tangier recorded, during this period, 1,237,391 nights compared to 991,489 in 2016, an increase of 25%, with an occupancy rate of 45% against 40%, year-on-year.

The Spaniards come first among the foreign tourists who visited the city of Tangier during this period (56,744), followed by the French (46,296), Arabs (25,246), Americans (15,026), Chinese (12,379), British ( 9.160), Germans (7.512), Belgians (6.199) and Scandinavians (5.302).

Tourist establishments classified 4 stars have welcomed some 179,100 tourists, followed by those classified as 3 stars (162,026), 5 stars (110,023), 2 stars (80,693) and a star (43,642), as well as residential hotels. (20,454) and guest houses (9,846).

In December alone, 43,567 tourists visited Tangier against 41,156 in December 2016, up 6% with the number of overnight stays was 82,212, up 3% year-on-year, with an occupancy rate of 39% versus 34% in December 2016.

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Fez Tops 2017 Tourist Growth Figures

The tourism sector in Morocco recorded a positive balance sheet for 2017. The sector recorded strong growth in the number of non-resident tourist arrivals, overnight stays in classified tourist accommodation establishments (EHTC) and foreign exchange earnings, says a statement from the Ministry of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy

The department notes that the number of tourist arrivals at border crossings was 11.35 million, an increase of 10% over 2016. "This increase affects almost the major markets of the Kingdom, as Germany (+ 15%), Holland and Italy (+ 9%), France and Spain (+ 8%), as well as the United States, which experienced a significant increase of + 29% » , adds the same source.

Emerging markets for Morocco, are experiencing the same trend, with an increase in the number of tourists from China (+ 151%), Japan (+ 39%), or Brazil (+ 38%).

As for the volume of nights spent in the EHTC, ​​it has evolved by 15% in 2017. A performance that is due to the increase of 18% of overnight stays of non-resident tourists, as well as those of resident tourists by 7%. In addition, the strongest growth in destinations was recorded in Fez (+ 39%), Ouarzazate (+ 37%), Tangier (+ 25%), Marrakech (+ 17%), Agadir and Casablanca (+ 11%). ).

The Minister of Tourism said that tourism earnings in foreign currencies reached 69.7 billion dirhams in 2017 against 64.2 billion dirhams in 2016, an increase of 8.5%.

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Morocco Expects More Than 500,000 Chinese Tourists by 2020

Morocco is expecting the number of Chinese tourist arrivals to reach “at least 500,000” by 2020, against the 100,000 tourists recorded in 2017, said Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Mohamed Sajid

During a joint press conference on Thursday with Song Yu, Secretary-General of the World Federation of Tourism Cities (WTCF), Sajid revealed that the two countries are seeking to enhance tourism cooperation. The comments were made at a Morocco-China tourism forum in Casablanca.

To achieve this ambitious goal, Morocco is planning to create a direct air link with China by 2020 to accommodate more tourists from that country; a market which remains “largely under-exploited.”

“We must operate all the vectors of growth and the air will be one of our main priority. The creation of a direct line is under study by the National Office of Tourism,” said the minister as quoted by Medias24.

“Without being pretentious, we should very easily reach 500,000 visitors by 2020,” he indicated.

Though the minister is not sure whether this project will be finalized by 2019 or 2020, he affirms that it will be “done quickly,” especially considering that the “Ministry has initiated contacts with Chinese airlines that are willing to accompany and take advantage of the current explosion of this emerging market in Morocco.”

Sajid also revealed that the National Office of Tourism will strengthen its presence at its Beijing office. “Because with this enormous potential, we can no longer be satisfied with only having two employees already present in the office,” he said.

In June 2016, Morocco lifted pre-travel visa requirement for Chinese nationals wishing to enter Morocco.

In 2017, the number of Chinese tourists in Morocco increased by 760 percent, evidence of the broadening global pull of Morocco’s tourism sector.

According to Interbank Payment Center, Chinese tourists had the highest per capita spending of all foreign tourists in Morocco in 2017.
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2017 - a Record Year For Moroccan Tourism

Eleven million. This is the number of visitors that Morocco should welcome by the end of 2017. A record figure revealed by Saïd Mouhid, president of the Moroccan Tourism Observatory

Said Mouhid welcomed this rebound but says, "The final figures are not yet available, but we are already sure to exceed for the first time the 11 million tourists". 2017 will also see the bar of the 22 million nights crossed and generate revenues in currency amounting to 68 billion dirham against 64 billion last year.

In detail, it is the French who are still - by far - the top contingent of tourists, with more than a third of arrivals, followed by Spaniards, Germans and British.

Nearly half of the visitors are of Moroccan origin, and Moroccans living abroad (MRE) are considered tourists.

This sustained recovery of the tourist flow is the result of actions undertaken by professionals of the sector, headed by the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT), which multiplied throughout the year partnerships with airlines , thus strengthening the country's air offer, especially domestic flights, while leveraging digital technology to promote the destination.

Marrakech, Agadir, and Casablanca are the most visited cities. "Marrakech will end the year on record performance, exceeding two million visitors," said AFP the director of the Regional Council of Tourism (CRT) of Marrakech, Abderrahim Bentbib. He attributes this "embellishment" to the launch of new airlines, to "the excellent quality-price ratio of Marrakech hotels" and the opening of new cultural projects like the "Yves Saint Laurent Museum".

As a key sector of the Moroccan economy, tourism accounts for 10% of the national wealth. In order to further strengthen this sector, Moroccan tourism promoters are betting on new markets, particularly China and Russia, with the abolition of visas. With a few tens of thousands more arrivals, Russians and Chinese still barely exceed 100,000 visitors.

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