Morocco’s Tourism Industry Faces Billion-Dollar Losses Amid Pandemic and Management Concerns

Invited to comment on the subject, Rkia Alaoui, president of the regional tourism council of Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, declared to Barlamane that the losses of the sector are estimated at several billion dirhams. "Nearly 80 billion dirhams in revenue in 2 years" according to the figures of the Office des Changes, pointing to the poor management of the authorities.

"The pandemic has created a domino effect, the destructive effects of which continue to be felt. At the base, this sector cannot exist without mobility and free movement. Within Morocco, this mobility was subject to authorizations that were not always easy to obtain. But even with the lifting of these restrictions, domestic tourism accounts for 30% of total tourist arrivals in Morocco. The remaining 70% come from the international market. With the closure, sometimes partial, sometimes total, of the borders, the situation has become catastrophic," she stressed.

And to specify that this situation "has eroded the confidence of international organizers, airlines and tourists in general. They will have to be reassured and guaranteed visibility." The demands of the operators are focused on the short term, because the main collective objective is to save the sector from total ruin, through strong support measures, she added.

Basing their hope on the likely reopening of borders, the professionals hope to gradually climb back up, she said, noting that the aid contained in the support plan of the supervisory ministry is insufficient.