French Accor to manage Moroccan hotel

French tourism group Accor signed Thursday in Rabat an agreement with Moroccan authorities for the management of Morocco's biggest conference complex, "Palais des Congress," and "Mansour Eddahbi" hotel in Marrakesh.

Accor will take over the management of the 500-room Mansour Eddahbi hotel and the nearby conference complex from January until the end of 2003.

State-run Credit Hotelier et Immobilier manages both units belonging to the Moroccan Dounia-Hotels chain.

Accor operates mainly in Morocco's tourism sector and has bought six three-star Moussafir hotels and manages the luxurious Palais Jamai hotel in the central city of Fez.

The group said recently that it is planning to invest up to $100 million to develop tourism in Morocco.