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Athenes – Tourism minister, Lahcen Haddad, said on Saturday in Athens Morocco is resolved to be among the world’s top 20 tourism destinations by 2020, thanks to its numerous assets, mainly political stability and proximity to major origin countries.
The minister who was speaking during the regional gala of the World Travel Awards, stressed that the “Morocco bound” is increasingly attractive worldwide, noting that thanks to the tourism vision 2020, Morocco is determined to enter the club of the world’s 20 first destinations by 2020.
He added that Morocco has all it takes to reach this goal, particularly internationally-recognized political and social stability, geographic proximity to the major emitting countries and its attractive business atmosphere.
Haddad further cited the presence in Morocco of a 3,500 km-long shore along the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, a magical contrast between the Ocean and the desert, a rich cultural legacy, a good weather and Moroccans’ legendary hospitality.
Morocco has already received 10 million tourists in 2013, an increase of 6pc compared to 2012 despite a difficult economic context.
He also noted that the 2020 strategic vision, launched by King Mohammed VI four years ago, seeks to consolidate the hospitality sector’s share in Morocco’s overall economic development and to make of Morocco a reference of sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean.
Morocco is also seeking to double the number of visitors and hosting capacity and to multiply by 2.5 income from tourism.
Haddad also recalled that the World Travel Awards Grand final will be held next November 29 in Marrakech, in accordance with a partnership agreement concluded last May in Dubai with the World Travel Award to hold the event grand finals, for the three coming years, in Morocco.
The World Travel Awards Grand Final follows a series of regional Gala Ceremonies, with events this year scheduled for Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Athenes (Greece), Quito (Ecuador), Abuja (Nigeria), New Delhi (India), and the fantastic holiday island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.
