Rabat – Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Morocco is making efforts to restore and save its once-thriving tourism industry by implementing a recovery plan and offering temporary aid to workers in the sector.
Officials signed a new strategic plan for the tourism sector on Thursday, August 6. The plan aims to maintain jobs, preserve the economic fabric of the industry, and allow Morocco to adapt to new industry realities.
Qualifying employees in Morocco’s tourism sector, including hotel operators, tour guides, and transporters, will receive a monthly stipend of MAD 2,000 ($216) from July through December this year.
The plan also includes an extension of the exemption from income tax on additional remuneration for employees, as well as the establishment of a moratorium for the repayment of bank loans.
The Moroccan government will provide the aid to offset the revenue lost by the sudden and dramatic decrease in tourism.
Minister of Tourism Nadia Fettah Alaoui announced the new program in mid-July.
At least 11% of Morocco’s GDP depends on tourism. In a report released earlier this week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicated that Morocco is among the top 10 countries in the world most affected by the blow to tourism amid the COVID-19 crisis.
On May 5, Morocco’s tourism minister revealed that the number of tourists fell by 45% between January and April compared to the same period in 2019. The COVID-19 crisis closed 87% of hotels in Morocco and during the first four months of 2020, travel receipts fell from $2.307 billion to $2 billion.
The report, released on August 4, states that “international tourism has been among the hardest hit sectors during the COVID-19 crisis.”
