The Positive Economic Impacts of Morocco’s Mawazine Festival

By Karen Duarte

Rabat – With one month to go, the 2018 Mawazine Festival Rhythms of the World is right around the corner. The festival will present uniquely cultural music while inviting and representing people from all over the world.

Although some might believe that recruiting 79 celebrities, setting up nine stages, and hiring security might be costing Morocco a mountain of money, the statistics say otherwise. The sponsors, partners, volunteers, and local vendors all benefit economically from the well-known music festival, which will take place June 22-30.

Abdeslam Ahizoune, President of Mawazine Festival and of Maroc Cultures, stated, “Together we are striving to build a national show and entertainment industry, which would create significant added-value for tourism and strengthen the economic fabric within the region.” So, how exactly does Mawazine have a positive economic impact on Morocco?

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By collaborating with local suppliers, Mawazine gives a plethora of job opportunities to many Moroccans, while building relationships and negotiating with businesses involved in the entertainment industry.

According to Mawazine’s website, the festival works with over 40 Moroccan companies, negotiating three-year partnerships with key suppliers. The festival employs people from many professions, such as stage directors, light and sound technicians, and communication directors. The festival directly drives up, the demand for these Moroccan enterprises.

But how impactful is Mawazine’s platform on the tourism industry. The Mawazine Festival does not solely focus on the entertainment industry; it is also cognizant of impacting shops, local markets, transportation, restaurants, hotels, and many more.

Statistics from Mawazine’s website manifests the importance of Mawazine as a major business source for Morocco. Retail, catering, and transportation sectors see their sales grow by an average of 30 percent. During the festival, hotels increase their sales by an average of 22 percent. Hotel booking rates also rise two to four more times their usual rate: 100% for 4 and 5 star hotels and 63% for other hotels.

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Finally, how does the festival impact Morocco’s image? Morocco, as the gateway to many European and African countries, is the perfect location for the festival and easily accessible to many tourists. This allows for a variety of different cultures to come together and enjoy music from all around the world.

International celebrities interact with and perform side by side with Moroccan stars. Some of the performers at this year’s festival include Bruno Mars (US), DJ Martin Garrix (Netherlands), Niska (France), Luis Fonsi (Puerto Rico), and DAMSO (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Since social media is an essential tool for promoting and advertising, Morocco’s culture and traditions are exposed worldwide. The celebrities participating in Mawazine campaign the festival on their social media pages, which promotes the image of the festival and Morocco.

Celebrities are looked up to as role models in their countries, so their promotion of Morocco enhances the country’s image. Their participation may attract first-time travelers to Morocco to visit popular tourist areas.