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Doha – Morocco and UN Tourism signed a landmark agreement on Tuesday to establish the organization’s first thematic office in Africa, to be located in Rabat. The office will focus on supporting innovation and investment in tourism across the continent.
The agreement was signed in Marrakech by Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor and UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
According to the terms, the office will implement innovative activities aimed at stimulating Africa’s tourism sector, including capacity-building sessions and workshops for public and private stakeholders from member states.
It will also organize tourism innovation conferences, forums, and continent-wide startup competitions.
“The choice of Morocco as the first thematic office for Africa confirms the Kingdom’s continental leadership in tourism development,” said Minister Ammor.
She added that the office will support UN Tourism’s 2030 agenda for Africa, making the sector “a vector of development in the continent in accordance with King Mohammed VI’s vision for joint African action.”
Read also: Morocco’s Tourism Revenue Set to Exceed $11 Billion in Record-Breaking 2024
Pololikashvili emphasized that the office will ensure decentralized communication and coordination with partners, particularly UN Tourism members, while contributing to the socioeconomic development of African tourism destinations.
The agreement comes as UN Tourism released a new report highlighting Morocco’s tourism achievements.
The report, titled “Tourism Doing Business – Investing in Morocco,” reveals that the country welcomed 17.4 million international visitors in 2024, a 35% increase from 2019 levels, with tourism revenues reaching $10.5 billion in 2023.
Pololikashvili also met with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Monday to discuss strengthening the partnership between Morocco and UN Tourism.
During the meeting, Bourita highlighted upcoming events, including the 2025 African Cup of Nations and 2030 World Cup, as opportunities to promote sustainable tourism.
Pololikashvili announced plans to translate their promotional book about investment opportunities in Morocco into Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and French.
According to UN Tourism’s report, the sector’s contribution to Morocco’s GDP increased from 3.7% in 2020 to 7.3% in 2023, with the country receiving $2.2 billion in tourism foreign direct investment between 2014 and 2023.
