Moroccan tourism minister announces the construction of 50 hotels unit per year

Moroccan Tourism, Craftsmanship and Social economy, Adil Douiri, has announced a plan to build 50 hotels unit per year up to 2010, as well as the realization of new sea resorts in the Mediterranean and Atlantic shores.

Morocco, which aspires to attract 10 million tourists by 2010, has earmarked a budget of US $4 millions to build 6 sea resorts in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean shores as part of the "Azur Plan" whose total cost is estimated at US $7 billions.

In an interview published Sunday by "Al Hayat" daily, the Moroccan minister said a US $3 million-budget will be allocated to promote the Moroccan destination in European, Arab and American markets.

"Al Hayat" noted that 6 million tourists have visited Morocco in 2004, that is 13.2 million guest nights. The newspaper said tourism receipts in Morocco have increased by 12pc, to reach US $4 billion, which made tourism the second source of currency after the transfers made by Moroccans living abroad.

According to the same source, the French represented the highest number of tourists to Morocco in 2004 (1.2 millions), followed by Spaniards (350.000) and Americans (100.000). Arab tourists represented only 3pc of holidaymakers during this period, pointed out the Arab paper.

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