Domestic tourism represents 20% of tourism market

Domestic tourism currently represents 20% of the national tourism market, Tourism Minister, Mohamed Boussaid, said on Tuesday.

   Speaking at the House of Advisors' question time, Boussaid said the rate is expected to rise, stressing that his department endeavors to implement bold development programs to create integrated seaside resorts in regions targeted by national tourists.

     As part of the "Biladi" plan, which aims to develop and market a tourism offer for domestic tourism, three tourism stations were built in three tourism regions, Ifrane (north), El Jadida (west) and Agadir (center), he said, adding that three other stations will be created in Nador (north), Benslimane and Mehdia (both west).

    Boussaid explained that his department elaborated a new preventive plan dubbed "CAP 2009", which allows for setting up additional and exceptional measures to mitigate the effects of the international financial crisis on tourism in Morocco.

    In this regards, he said despite the good results yielded by the "CAP 2009" plan, the government is following the development of the sector through the strategic watch committee.

    The Minister also announced that additional measures were taken to reinforce the budget earmarked for marketing and promoting air routes, underlining that they will be implemented soon through an agreement between the government and the sector's professionals.

MAP