Morocco Struggles to Capitalize on Influx of French Retirees

While some French retirees are rushing to major cities like Marrakech, Agadir or Casablanca, others, in search of tranquility, prefer coastal or rural destinations, analyzes the magazine Challenge, noting that this massive influx of French seniors to the kingdom is explained among other things by the cost of living in Morocco which is twice lower than in France, the legendary hospitality of Moroccans, and the historical and cultural ties between France and Morocco.

Between 60,000 and 70,000 French retirees live in Morocco. Some 30,000, fleeing the winter in France, opt for sunny stays in the kingdom. Thanks to these "seasonal migrants", Morocco has become the third favorite destination for French retirees in the world. "One of the main assets of Morocco remains its stability and security, determining criteria for these temporary residents," explains Zoubir Bouhoute, an expert in tourism policy, quoted by the magazine.

However, the lack of suitable infrastructure in Morocco is slowing the momentum of French retirees. Amal Karioun, president of the Federation of Travel Agencies, deplores the disappearance of campsites and caravan areas, specifying that "these spaces were essential for the tourism of small budgets, whether national or international. Their removal was a strategic error and today we are struggling to recreate a suitable offer".

According to a study, the influx of French seniors is an underexploited opportunity for Morocco. Yet this seasonal tourism could bring in more than 640 billion dirhams to the kingdom by 2050, or 13% of its GDP. Jaafar Heikel, health economist, for his part emphasizes the need to improve the healthcare offer to meet the expectations of French seniors. "Compared to France, Morocco must make a qualitative leap to ensure a secure and competitive health care."