The management of regional development in Morocco
Morocco is located on Africa's north-western Atlantic coast. Prior to 2001, tourist development in
Morocco was constrained by its geographic and cultural orientation as a Muslim state on the African
continent, even though it is only less than 10 miles from Europe by sea. These broad objectives were
established to promote tourism:
By 2010, there will be 7 million foreign tourists arriving annually.
To boost the tourism industry, 600,000 new jobs will be generated.
It is planned to build 80,000 new hotel rooms, bringing the total number of beds from
70,000 in 2001 to 230,000 by 2010.
Six significant seaside resort zones will be built out.
Existing resorts, particularly those in Agadir and Tangier, will be renovated.
Cultural tourism to heritage sites such as Fes, Meknes, Marrakech and the Roman site at
Volubilis is to be encouraged.
The country already has many attractive assets for tourism that include:
Undeveloped coastline
A rich cultural heritage that blends Roman, Moorish, French and Arab influences and
includes seven World Heritage Sites
Important ecological areas
Foreign visitor levels in 2001 stood at only 2.2 million.
To enable the targets to be achieved, the government and private sector investments must be
channelled towards infrastructure improvement. In particular towards the further development of
several airports and for road construction, new promotional work by the Moroccan Tourist Board
and new tourism training programmes for Moroccans seeking employment in tourism. Plans to
increase the number of incoming flights from Europe and associated deregulation through the
adoption of an ‘open skies’ policy (signed in December 2005) is also an essential part of the plan.
Regional development policies in Morocco have had varying levels of success. Many of the policies
have focused on investing in infrastructure and promoting economic activity in underdeveloped
regions in order to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas. Some of these efforts have led
to significant improvements in areas such as transportation, communication and education.
However, many of these policies have not been able to fully address the root causes of regional
disparities in Morocco, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic services, which is
still a challenge to be solved.
In recent years, the government of Morocco has been implementing a new strategy to enhance the
development of the regions and reduce the gap between the coastal and the interior regions, by
focusing on human development, strengthening the local governance, and promoting the
entrepreneurship. This strategy has led to some positive developments in terms of economic
growth, job creation, and social development, but it still needs more time and resources to be fully
implemented and be more effective.
Inequalities in healthcare can indicate broader societal inequalities and disparities in access to
resources and opportunities. They can be symptomatic of larger issues related to poverty, education,
and economic development. Regional differences in healthcare access and quality can also reflect
disparities in infrastructure and investment, as well as differences in public policies and programs.
These issues can have a significant impact on the overall well-being and economic opportunities of
individuals and communities and addressing them may require a comprehensive and multi-faceted
approach.
Morocco is located on Africa's north-western Atlantic coast. Prior to 2001, tourist development in
Morocco was constrained by its geographic and cultural orientation as a Muslim state on the African
continent, even though it is only less than 10 miles from Europe by sea. These broad objectives were
established to promote tourism:
By 2010, there will be 7 million foreign tourists arriving annually.
To boost the tourism industry, 600,000 new jobs will be generated.
It is planned to build 80,000 new hotel rooms, bringing the total number of beds from
70,000 in 2001 to 230,000 by 2010.
Six significant seaside resort zones will be built out.
Existing resorts, particularly those in Agadir and Tangier, will be renovated.
Cultural tourism to heritage sites such as Fes, Meknes, Marrakech and the Roman site at
Volubilis is to be encouraged.
The country already has many attractive assets for tourism that include:
Undeveloped coastline
A rich cultural heritage that blends Roman, Moorish, French and Arab influences and
includes seven World Heritage Sites
Important ecological areas
Foreign visitor levels in 2001 stood at only 2.2 million.
To enable the targets to be achieved, the government and private sector investments must be
channelled towards infrastructure improvement. In particular towards the further development of
several airports and for road construction, new promotional work by the Moroccan Tourist Board
and new tourism training programmes for Moroccans seeking employment in tourism. Plans to
increase the number of incoming flights from Europe and associated deregulation through the
adoption of an ‘open skies’ policy (signed in December 2005) is also an essential part of the plan.
Regional development policies in Morocco have had varying levels of success. Many of the policies
have focused on investing in infrastructure and promoting economic activity in underdeveloped
regions in order to reduce disparities between urban and rural areas. Some of these efforts have led
to significant improvements in areas such as transportation, communication and education.
However, many of these policies have not been able to fully address the root causes of regional
disparities in Morocco, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic services, which is
still a challenge to be solved.
In recent years, the government of Morocco has been implementing a new strategy to enhance the
development of the regions and reduce the gap between the coastal and the interior regions, by
focusing on human development, strengthening the local governance, and promoting the
entrepreneurship. This strategy has led to some positive developments in terms of economic
growth, job creation, and social development, but it still needs more time and resources to be fully
implemented and be more effective.
Inequalities in healthcare can indicate broader societal inequalities and disparities in access to
resources and opportunities. They can be symptomatic of larger issues related to poverty, education,
and economic development. Regional differences in healthcare access and quality can also reflect
disparities in infrastructure and investment, as well as differences in public policies and programs.
These issues can have a significant impact on the overall well-being and economic opportunities of
individuals and communities and addressing them may require a comprehensive and multi-faceted
approach.
