Tangier 09

I came up with the idea of a Fair Trade Travel business committed to paying fair wages, using local suppliers, minimising the environmental and cultural impact of tourism and developing community projects.

Since tourism was made a national economic priority in 2001, the sector has followed an ambitious development strategy: "2010 Vision" is expected to raise the number of tourists to 10 million, bring hotel capacity to nearly a quarter-million beds, and lead to the creation of 600,000 new jobs. The emphasis is on product promotion, international partnerships, training, and institutional reform, as well as infrastructure development. The National Company for Tourism Engineering (SMIT), the recently established Moroccan tourism organization, is responsible for the coordination of investment and facilitates partnership development. "We tell foreign investors: Come and make money here with us. It is this win-win partnership that can secure the sustainability of our development policy," says Omar Bennani, CEO of SMIT. Investors can enjoy financial packages offering significant tax breaks, as well as broader support measures, such as the training of personnel and the promotion of touristic facilities. Investments are currently guided by a number of framework programs. The Azur Plan, for example will see the development of six new seaside resorts, two of which are set for completion in 2009: Saidia in northeast Morocco, developed in cooperation with Spanish investor Fadesa, and Mazagan to the south of Casablanca, developed in cooperation with the international Kerzner Group. Another program, the Mada'in Plan, aims at strengthening capacities in urban destinations, such as Marrakesh, Fez, and Casablanca.

he nation has been recognised as a leader in procuring their tourism industry successfully, showing that other African nations can create their own economies through tourism.

One of the schemes that Morocco went ahead with was their Vision 2010 Tourism Strategy. The aim is to attract more than ten million tourists in 2010 by making available 85,000 rooms in specially built tourist resorts and 35,000 beds in new properties.