Morocco exceeds 5 million tourists, as government vows more perks to investments
Morocco, Economics, 12/30/2004

Morocco attracted between last January and November 5.12 million tourisms, posting a progression of 17% compared to the same period of 2003, says the tourism, social economy and handicraft ministry.

The figure includes Moroccan expatriates, with 2.61 million (a progression of 10%). A total of 1.08 million French nationals chose to vacation in Morocco, followed by Spaniard (280,687), Britons 155,354, Germans (134,798) and Italians (102,650).

Tourists from the Maghreb countries were estimated at 74,119.

The number of hotel guest nights stood at 12.25 million units, increasing by 18 percent as compares to Jan-Nov. 2003.

Meanwhile, the government has vowed to effect additional incentives to investments in the sector of tourism by encouraging insurance companies and pension funds to invest in the sector.

The government will also conclude with banks new long-term loans to finance hotels, says tourism, social economy and handicraft minister, Adil Douiri.

Other measures include simplifying and rationalizing the local taxation system, alleviating the fiscal burden in force after the gulf war and the Casablanca terrorist attacks of May 2003. Hotels profits will exempted from taxes for five years, followed by a 50% tax cut and the cancellation of local taxes applied to he tourism sector.

Several tourism zones were developed and conceded to private investors, in addition to allocating a fund to support real estate in order to lower the price of tourism facilities-bound land plots, the minister told the parliament on Tuesday.

Previous Stories:
  Great Britain, Morocco's third largest outlet, Ambassador   (12/25/2004)
  Morocco, Brazil sign cooperation agreements   (11/29/2004)
  ADB approves 66.5 Mln Euro loan to Morocco   (11/26/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search