Boston, MA -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/25/2014 -- The Moroccan travel and tourism sector registered slow growth during the review period (2008-2012), due to the European sovereign debt crisis and the Arab Spring uprisings in 2010. Government initiatives on domestic and international tourism promotions, the development of tourism infrastructure and increased government investments will develop the tourism sector over the forecast period (2013-2017).

Report Highlights

In June 2013, the Ministry of Tourism launched the new edition of the Kounouz Biladi program to promote domestic tourism. Kounouz Biladi targets middle-class families who do not allocate budgets for trips. The ministry announced appealing prices and travel agencies provided attractive packages similar to those offered to international tourists during the 2012 edition of the program. The ministry also announced that Kounouz Biladi will be extended to other seasons to enable domestic tourists to benefit from discounts throughout the year.

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In July 2013, the tourism board increased its focus on countries such as China, Russia, Eastern Europe, North America and the Middle East to promote Morocco as an attractive tourist destination. The Moroccan National Tourist Office has already set up offices in Beijing and launched a promotion plan aiming to attract Chinese tourists. The office has also requested airlines in both Morocco and China to fly direct flights between the two countries.

In June 2013, Royal Air Maroc announced that it will purchase 20 to 30 new aircraft by 2020, including five long-haul aircraft. British Airways had increased the number of flights from seven to 10 between November 2012 to March 2013 between Marrakech and London. In April 2013, Ryanair has also renewed its long-term interest in the country by adding two bases in Marrakesh and Fez, increasing its Moroccan operations to 60 routes and eight airports, transporting 2.5 million passengers a year to the country.

Premium and high-end luxury hotel brands, such as Mandarin Oriental, Oberoi, The Address Hotels, Rocco Forte Collection and Kempinski, have started investing in new properties in the country; 54 hotel projects are planned with a total of 15,000 new guest rooms. Among these, 18 five-star hotels will be built in Marrakech. Kempinski is also planning two new properties in the country. The Royal Palace hotel, with 260 rooms, opened in Agadir in March 2013, and in October 2013, the 270-room Al Houara hotel opened in Tanger.

The cost of renting a basic car with no restrictions on travel distance starts from MAD3,408.2 (US$395.0) per week or MAD491.8 (US$57.0) per day. This is very expensive for a North African country. Most car rental companies also demand a refundable cash deposit of MAD2,934.7 (US$340.0) or MAD4,875.0 (US$565.0) if not paid by a credit card. The best cities to hire cars in are Casablanca, Marrakesh and Tangier, where cars are available at competitive prices.

Companies Mentioned in this Report: Royal Air Maroc, Jetairfly.com, Ryanair Holdings plc, Accor Hotels Morocco, Louvre Hotels Morocco, Hotusa Hotels Morocco, Kenzi Hotels Group, RIU Hotels & Resorts Morocco, Avis Car Rental Morocco, Hertz Rent a Car Morocco, Europcar Morocco Car Rental, Sixt Rent a Car Morocco, Authentic Journeys Morocco SARL, Journey Beyond Travel, Voyage to Morocco

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