____ Sea Resort
____ City tourism
____ Niche
____ Rural
____ Domestic

Within the framework of 'the 2010 Vision' aiming to welcome 10 million of tourists, and concerning the building site, "Product" ,launched by Tourism Department , an action plan is in the process of being implemented currently.

This action plan relates obviously to both seaside resort and "Cultural" products and aims at the anticipation of the increase welcome capacity of the country through the achievement of an additional capacity of 80.000 rooms by the year

2010. This capacity which is likely to ensure the visibility of Morocco destination on international markets is shared out among the national territory as follows:
65.000 rooms in seaside destinations;
15.000 rooms in cultural destinations.

The approach adopted for the creation of this additional capacity, consists of:
The creation of suitable tourist areas of the latest generation and which meet the new trends of tourist demand;
The recourse/resort(ing), as regards the planning and the development of these areas, to private groups selected by means of invitation to tenders on the basis of their professional and technical references in the field of planning and tourist industry and of their financial capacities for the realization of large scale projects.

Tourism Department , in partnership with other Ministerial Departments concerned, has launched a set of projects :

1. The "Azure Plan" which aims at the creation of six new appropriate seaside resorts /stations on six priority sites, notably: Saidia (Berkane), Lixus (Larache), Mazagan (El Haouzia, El Jadida), Mogador (Essaouira), Taghazout (Agadir) and Plage Blanche (Guelmim).

At present, the six seaside resorts concerned which are granted to international developers are as follows :
__ Saidia ( Spanish group FADESA );
__ Mogador ( Belgian - French - Dutch group :Thomas & Piron/l'Atelier / Colbert Orco/Risma);
__ El Haouzia (Moroccan - South African grouping: Kerzner International/SOMED/CDG/ MAMDA & MCMA)
__ Lixus (Belgian- Dutch group: Thomas & Piron/Orco).
__ Taghazout ( Colony Capital & Satocan Group);
__ Plage Blanche ( Spanish group FADESA)

The call for "manifesting interest" relating to the planning of Taghazout's station was launched on May 25, 2005 and the final selection of the developer or the recipient of the attribution ,will take place in January 2006. As far as the attribution process of the "Plage Blanche" station , it will start from 2006 onwards.

2. Planning projects of tourist areas of the Aguedal (Marrakech) and Ghandouri (Tangier), whose development is ensured by the Deposit and Management Office (CDG). These projects are at an advanced stage:
__ The planning of the area of the Aguedal is achieved, the marketing of lots provided with main services by CDG is almost completed and the constructing work of some hotel units has started up;
__ The fact of providing the area of Ghandouri with main services got started and the operation of lots attribution by CDG to the operators is under way at present.

At the same time as the creation of new tourist stations/areas,Tourism Department has also started the building site for the improvement of the existing destinations such as Fez , Casablanca , Agadir, Tangier, Tetouan, etc.

This building site passes necessarily by the establishment of Tourist Regional Development Program (PDRT) which stretches over a decade and aims at the definition of :
__ Objectives attributed to every tourist destination (tourism nights, arrivals, capacity, guests to target etc);
__ Requirements for strategic, public and private investments necessary for the achievement of objectives above mentioned;
__ Human resources necessary for the implementation of this program.

These Tourist Regional Development Programs (PDRT) are elaborated on the basis of in-depth studies, which are carried out in favour of Tourism Department by world known multidisciplinary consultants, and relating to the following constituents:
__ Marketing Positioning;
__ Technical and financial set up of the development of areas likely to receive the additional capacities planned;
__ Technical, legal and financial set up of attendant measures which are necessary for the development of the destination concerned (of an urbanist, patrimonial and promotional nature, etc).

These destinations, the PDRT of which have been signed, are Fez, Casablanca and Agadir. The establishment process of the PDRT, Tangier and Tetouan has already started. The PDR of Ouarzazate/Zagora, Meknes Tafilelt and Rabat will be created soon.

Building Sites

Presentation

The 2010 strategy aims to reach the following objectives: :

To treble the accommodation capacity and to balance the product,
To train at least 70.000 professionals in different trades of hotel business and tourism,
To plan the synergy between new beds and additional plane seats and to treble the offer concerning air transport seats
To adopt a modern marketing: partnerships with Tours Operators, with professionals and regions, and strengthening of the promotion budget;
To improve the welcome, service and entertainment quality,
To restructure the organs of the State;

These are therefore the general building sites of the "2010 strategy" which correspond respectively to the Product, Training, Air Transport, Marketing, Environment and Institutional Organization.

City tourism

Morocco cultural product (Marrakech, Fez , Meknes , Rabat , Casablanca ...) which is shaped by an unprecedented richness of historical and architectural heritage and by a historical bequest handed down from the succession of dynasties and civilizations , offers exceptional assets and ensures the positioning of the destination on the tourist chessboard of the areas surrounding the Mediterranean.

In fact, the combination of authentic products (imperial cities, ksours and kasbahs.) and the diversity of immense potentials (architecture, gastronomy, costumes, handicraft, popular arts.) should ensure the consolidation of the positioning of this product on a worldwide scale and attract a clientele with a higher contribution.

However, the development of this product had run into problems which needed to be overcome by means of implementing a strategy which is part of " the 2010 vision", aiming at the marketing of an additional capacity of 15.000 rooms and consisting of the establishment of the Tourist Regional Development Programs (PDRT) for :
The re-positioning of "Cultural" destinations for a better development of their potentialities;
The launching of a renovation program;
The development of new areas of integrated tourist planning.

This strategy is embodied in the launching , for each destination concerned , of a tourist development study established by high-level consultants and which contains the following three missions:
A marketing analysis;
A feasibility study for the planning of new and identified areas of planning;
An identification/priority of attendant measures concerning tourist development.

These studies lead to the development of a Regional,Tourist Development Program (PDRT), binding the Government to the Regional Authorities and organizing the actions to be implemented by the year 2010 for a sustainable development of tourist activities.
At present, the PDRT of Fez and Casablanca are(being) completed and engaged in signature proceedings, those of Ouarzazate-Zagora and Meknes-Tafilalt are in the process of being completed.

Domestic tourism

Domestic tourism constitutes an important component of the "2010 Vision". Indeed, the Implementation Agreement of the Framework Agreement which reflects the main points of the Royal speeches pronounced during the National Meetings on Tourism of Marrakech on January,10,2001, those held in Agadir on February, 14, 2003, and those organized in Tangier on March 31, 2006, intends to put in place a strategy for the promotion of domestic tourism.

This strategy aims to increase the number of nights spent in classified national tourist establishments, that is to say 6 million of additional nights by the year 2010. This growth may be reflected in the organization of attractive package tours marketed by means of promotional campaigns and the setting up of adapted products.

A market study was realized in 2003 within the framework of the development strategy of domestic tourism. It will revolve around the following points :
To determine the national tourist behavior;
To segment the demand; ,
To determine expectations by population group;
To define concepts, products, segment;
To define a strategy of distribution. .

The development strategy of domestic tourism takes place at the following three stages :
Stage 1 (2003-2005) : Limited promotional Operations (actions) : Kounouz Biladi;
Stage 2 (2005-2006): Setting up of a distribution circuit concerning the existing product by the creation of national Tour Operators (T.O);
Stage 3: Creation of products adapted to each population group by creating "integrated" areas

Project relating to the creation of TO for domestic tourism :
Domestic tourism represents an important segment (market), with a part of 22% of the whole nights spent in classified establishments in 2004.
Furthermore, the market has known a powerful response to promotional actions which are reflected in a marked evolution of the whole nights concerning domestic tourism; hence the creation of TO for this kind of tourism whose objective is to decrease the costs of nights in the hotel business and to possess a modern and adapted distribution system.

Consequently the tour operators will aim to achieve the following tasks :
To get/ buy tourist services wholesale;
To organize tour packages;
To set up the distribution network;
To market all-in packages at competitive prices;
To conduct promotional campaigns in favour of domestic tourism.

The selection of these TO will be carried out on the basis of a perennial strategic plan and according to 3 criteria, namely :
The objectives set forth and the prices proposed;
The means of distribution;
The creativity and consistency with the objectives set forth. ;

The TO haves already been selected (stage of negotiation)

The two documents which define the exercise (profession) of Tour Operators are presented as follows:
The Framework Agreement, over a period of 3 years, defining the partnership modes between the Government and the T.O;
The yearly Implementation Agreement between the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) and the Tour Operators matching the Marketing convention.

Rural

The strategy of the "2010 Vision" which has been lately adopted by the Government for the development of the tourist sector draws on directives from the speech of HIS MAJESTY THE KING at the time of the National Meetings on Tourism held in Marrakech on January 10, 2001

The concept of PAT consists in structuring the rural tourist demand around a very definite territory, by getting much benefit from tourist attractive assets and from a specific identity as well as by having the advantage of relying on the will of local actors for the construction of a PAT.

As regards the setting up of this development strategy of rural tourism, an action plan was worked out , with a view to planning the development of two types of welcome tourist countries:
The new "PAT" concerning areas where rural tourist activities are new; namely Chefchaouen, Ifrane and Immouzer Ida Outanane;
The PAT to be strengthened as regards areas where tourist activities are old and need to be enhanced, namely the PAT of the Upper Atlas of the Desert of Errachidia , Ouarzazate and Zagora.

Since 2004, a certain number of Tourist Host Countries/Pays d'Accueil Touristiques (PAT) have been launched and others are in the process of being launched.

Seaside Tourism

The Azure Plan provides for the realization of six seaside resorts, with an accommodation capacity of 110.000 beds (including 80.000 hotel beds), covering an area of 3.000 hectares with an overall investment of the order of 46 billion DH. The new six tourist seaside resorts which are integrated over six priority sites are mainly Mogador, Lixus, Mazagan, Saidia, Taghazout and the Plage Blanche.

Tourist "niches "

The development of natural potentialities of all the regions of the Kingdom, the creation of employment, and the realization of a regional balance, in the field of tourist development, between different regions of Morocco, in accordance with the main axes relating to the policy of town and country planning, are the main objectives set forth within the Framework Agreement and its operational charter: the Implementation Agreement.

Therefore, and at the same time as the launching and implementation of many big projects such as the Azure Plan and MADA'IN , the Ministry of Tourism, conscious of the potential and assets contained in the rest of the national territory , plans to let the regions, which have not been until now directly concerned about the building-sites underway, get involved into this new dynamics of tourist development.

Indeed, due to the insufficient focus on the beneficial impact of the local products, the objective of the new approach of our Department is to bring a series of local tourist niches into the open by means of an optimum exploitation of sites intended for tourism, as well as the use of their natural, cultural, and civilisational resources for the sake of tourism, and that is all within the framework of a new local intervention policy called the development policy of "niche products".

For that purpose, the mission of Tourism Department, within the framework of this new strategy, stretches from the identification of areas intended for tourism, the elaboration of the product with different prescribers, the participation of the population and local authorities, to the implementation of promotional campaigns.

Adopted approach

The approach adopted consists in improving the welcome capacities and structures, perfecting the product quality and the circuits of its marketing, elaborating the promotional campaigns, canvassing the Tour Operators and increasing, in the course of time, the visitors' flows. However, the realization and implementation of the action plan necessitates an active participation of public, private and associative partners (local authorities, CRI, carriers, CRT, ONMT).

The niche products which have been adopted since 2004 are: pleasure and cruise tourism, health tourism, sports tourism, nature and culture tourism, including four major ones in 2004 and three others in the action plan of 2006. They are presented as follows:

* Cruising at the ports of Tangier, Casablanca , Safi and Agadir;
* Gliding sports(windsurf and kite surf) in Dakhla;
* Parachuting sport in Beni Mellal;
* Surfing in Safi ;
* Surfing in Mirleft( Province of Tiznit );
* Tourist hunting in Arbaoua( Province of Kenitra ) ;
* The tourist train of the desert in Bouarfa (the Oriental region).

The niche products launched in 2007

As a result, and considering the success recorded by this new approach which is in line with the National Initiative for the Human Development, as regards rational and optimum exploitation of natural and cultural resources for the sake of tourism, generating thus important beneficial socio-economic impact on the regions concerned, this Department has launched a second range of niche products to be developed and promoted in 2007. They revolve in this case around :

* Water sports in Laayoun;
* Tourist hunting in Bin El Ouidane-Azilal;

Sea canoeing in Nador,Hoceima and Chefchaouen.

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