Andre Azoulay Reflects on Morocco’s Tourism Success with Essaouira at the Helm

Rabat – André Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI, has shared insights into Morocco’s flourishing tourism landscape, with a particular emphasis on the coastal city of Essaouira.

Azoulay spoke to Morocco World News on the sidelines of the “Morocco Tourism Awards” event held on Tuesday night in Sale, expressing his profound pride as Essaouira was crowned the Best Destination of 2023.

“I feel really so pleased and proud to share with the audience what makes Essaouira so special and also so meaningful, not only for us as Moroccans but for the world,” he told MWN.

Upon receiving the award during the Morocco Tourism Awards ceremony, the King’s adviser conveyed his sentiments to the audience. “I receive the award that will be served with joy, with pride, and it’s a moment that is very moving for me,” he said.

The Essaouira native seized the opportunity to celebrate his city’s role in tourism and its broader impact on Moroccan culture. “It is tourism in letters of nobility … It is tourism that allows our country today, everywhere in the world, to hold high the torch of art,” he remarked.

In addition, he underlined the persistence of Morocco despite global challenges. “Morocco is very high in the resilience of social modernity and what humanity should be,” Azoulay said.

He went on to comment on the international recognition Essaouira garnered through a feature on 60 Minutes, a popular segment on American CBS News.

Azoulay highlighted the significance of such exposure in projecting Essaouira onto the global stage, noting that the show has a large audience of hundreds of thousands across the world, spanning from the US,to the Americas and Asia.

Broadcasted in December, the program spotlighted Essaouira’s world-renowned Gnaoua and World Music Festival and the magical rhythms of this traditional music genre.

“For many African-Americans, these rhythms are familiar,” journalist Bill Whitaker said during the program, pointing out that Gnaoua has traveled from the ports of Africa over the Atlantic to the US, helping to give rise to new art forms like the Blues.

Born in Essaouira in 1941, Azoulay has been a key figure in promoting the city’s cultural heritage and development, as he remains deeply attached to his hometown.

Since 1991, when he left his banking career to become the economic and financial advisor to King Hassan II, Azoulay has been actively involved in projects aimed at promoting and developing Essaouira’s cultural heritage.

In 1992, he founded the association Essaouira-Mogador to implement a development policy based on the city’s cultural and artistic heritage. At that time, Essaouira was facing a decline in tourism, and Azoulay sought to rejuvenate the city by leveraging its rich history.

Azoulay’s efforts extend to preserving Essaouira’s Jewish heritage. He initiated projects like the Andalusian Atlantic Festival to promote collaboration between Jewish and Muslim artists.

Another notable project is the Bayet Dakira, a house of memory, which aims to be a center for research on the relationshipsbetween Islam and Judaism.