USA and Morocco sign agreement to promote rural tourism

Morocco and the United States signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement providing for promoting rural tourism through programs worth 78.6 million Dirhams (about US$ 8 million).

The agreement, initialed by Moroccan tourism minister, Adil Douiri and US ambassador to Morocco, Margaret Tutwiller, means to support Morocco's efforts to meet the international market needs.

The agreement includes several actions, mainly a US$ 2.2 million-worth program for the development and promotion of new tourism products in rural areas, a program -- valued at about US$ 900,000-worth- to encourage micro-finance for rural populations and a US$ 4.8 million to upgrade tourism infrastructure in Morocco's countryside.

Morocco has set a target to attract 10 million tourists by 2010 and will be endeavoring to promote new products that cater for ecological concerns and develop the kingdom's cultural legacy.