Morocco’s King Modernizes Northern Coast, Pressuring Spanish Enclaves

In order to "stifle" Ceuta and Melilla, Mohammed VI has transformed the northern coast of Morocco by installing two international airports and two international ports, precisely in Tangier and Nador. To promote tourism in the north of the kingdom, the exclusive Marina Smir hotel complex has been created, a few kilometers from Ceuta, and to the northeast, the 18 kilometers of beach in Saidia stretch out. Since 2008, the Moroccan monarch has been developing another high-end tourist area in the Nador region, 14 kilometers from Melilla, recalls the newspaper El Confidential.

"Tourism activity is one of the main drivers of growth in the Moroccan economy and is one of the priority sectors for the authorities..." notes the Diplomatic Information Office of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its report on Morocco published in March 2022. The sector contributes 11% to Morocco’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates 548,000 direct jobs, according to data from the Moroccan Foreign Exchange Office.

In 2009, Mohammed VI launched the first phase of the urbanization of Atalayoun, with a park that recreates the natural habitats of migratory birds, a golf academy (Atalayoun Golf Resort) and a marina. The road network will also be renovated and a tram-train link will be established between the Al-Aroui international airport in Nador and the port of Beni Ensar. There will also be alternative modes of transport such as seaplanes, cable cars and funiculars.

After the normalization of relations with Israel in December 2020, several Israeli tourists and businessmen have visited northern Morocco. Currently, Morocco is seeking foreign investment from Israel, the United Kingdom, the Gulf countries, Russia and Turkey. In July 2021, the first Moroccan fair of crafts and tourism, "Morocco Expo Tel Aviv", was held in Israel, on the sidelines of an economic forum attended by professionals from the two countries. The creation of an Arab-Israeli chamber of commerce is in preparation.