Latest news with #Fayda
Morocco World
04-07-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco's Tourism Chief Brings All Staff Together for Major Strategic Reset
Rabat — Morocco's National Tourism Office (ONMT) has called an unprecedented all-hands meeting in Rabat, bringing together executives from headquarters and international offices for the first time. The move seems to be an extensive overhaul through which the office intends to enhance its managerial performance and signals a major shift in how the country plans to tackle its tourism ambitions. Achraf Fayda, who took over as head of the tourism office eight months ago, organized this comprehensive staff mobilization to align everyone around a shared vision. The meeting represents more than just internal reorganization,as ONMT chief wants to create a workplace culture focused on results, quick decision-making, and mutual trust. He says his team plans to identify top talent across the organization, improve communication between departments, cut red tape, and invest in employee development. Recent wins set the stage This internal reset builds on several recent successes that have helped Morocco gain ground in global tourism. The 'Morocco, Land of Football' marketing campaign created a buzz and connected with audiences worldwide. Two focused initiatives — one highlighting Fès and another promoting Ouarzazate — featured Morocco's rich history and natural beauty to potential visitors. Read also: Morocco's ONMT Launches Strategic Tourism Plans for Fez, Ouarzazate The tourism office has also struck deals with major international travel companies to increase flights to Morocco and boost the country's visibility in key markets. Eyes on major events ahead The Rabat meeting comes at a crucial time, with Morocco preparing to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations and co-host the World Cup in 2030. These events will put the country in front of millions of viewers worldwide and represent massive opportunities to attract new visitors. The tourism office plans to create a detailed action plan that takes advantage of these upcoming events. But first, they want to make sure their team works as a unified force. Industry partnership on the horizon The next phase will expand beyond the tourism office itself, as Fayda plans to bring in tourism industry professionals from across Morocco through the National Tourism Confederation. Together, they'll develop a comprehensive strategy that the entire sector can rally behind, departing from top-down planning. Morocco's tourism leadership wants to tap into expertise from hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and other businesses that deal with visitors daily. The comprehensive staff meeting represents Morocco's recognition that successful tourism development requires more than marketing campaigns and infrastructure projects. It demands organizations that can execute effectively and adapt quickly to changing conditions in the global travel market. Tags: Morocco TourismNational Tourism Office (ONMT)ONMTTourism
Morocco World
01-07-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
ONMT, China Eastern Airlines Sign Agreement to Boost Morocco's Appeal in Chinese Market
Rabat – The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) and the airline China Eastern Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday in Rabat, confirming the growing strategic importance of the Asian market in Morocco. Minister of Tourism Fatim Zahra Ammor, ONMT Director General Achraf Fayda and China Eastern Airlines President Wang Zhinqing chaired the signing ceremony. The partnership includes a marketing strategy as well as joining actions, press trips, and seeking to boost Morocco's appeal as a premier tourist destination in the Chinese market. The agreement also aims to optimize air connections to Morocco. The Minister of Tourism emphasized the importance of the partnership, stressing the country's ambition to position itself as an exceptional destination for travelers from across the world. 'With China Eastern, we are strengthening our presence in Asia and reaffirming our diversification strategy,' Ammor said. Fayda also highlighted the importance of the agreement, noting that the cooperation is based on a long-term, ambitious vision for tourism development. ONMT aims to attract at least one million Chinese tourists by 2030. 'His partnership with China Eastern reflects our ability to forge strategic alliances with major players in global air transport,' Fayda added, noting ONMT's commitment to opening Morocco to the most dynamic and demanding markets. The signing of the partnership follows China Eastern's launch of the Shanghai-Casablanca air route via Marseille in January 2025. In October, a direct route will also be launched with a frequency of three flights per week. With this new air route, Casablanca will be connected to China's main outbound tourism hub, in addition to the direct Beijing-Casablanca line operated by Royal Air Maroc. Tags: Business TourismChina
Morocco World
25-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
ONMT Announces Structural Reorganization to Boost Morocco's Tourism Appeal
Rabat — The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) announced today it is implementing a structural reorganization as part of ongoing efforts to boost Morocco's global tourism appeal. A statement from ONMT said the reorganization campaign includes the introduction of three new divisions focused on commercial, marketing, and resource support. 'With efficiency as our objective, this new organization is designed to strengthen our actions and better respond to the expectations of the global tourism market,' ONMT Director General Achraf Fayda said. He added that the new measures reflect a clear intention to streamline processes, clarify roles, and boost synergy between departments to address challenges of a rapidly evolving sector. It also aims to leverage ONMT's expertise and workforce. The tourism office has been launching a series of initiatives to promote Morocco's tourism assets, offerings, and commercial opportunities, among others. In 2024, the Moroccan tourism sector made a spectacular performance, bringing in over 17 million tourists. This exceeded the target set for 2026. By 2030, Morocco aims to attract at least 26 million visitors. The Moroccan government has pledged and committed over one billion euros in public tourism investments over the next decade. This does not count private sector funding. 'Morocco is transforming six cities hosting the 2030 World Cup, with half a billion euros allocated to each,' Fayda said earlier this month. Tags: Moroccan Tourism IndustryONMT
Morocco World
07-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Named Best Tourism Destination Partner 2025 by Italian Giant WTG
Rabat — Morocco received top honors from Italy's prestigious Welcome Travel Group (WTG), earning the title of Best Tourism Destination Partner 2025. Morocco's Tourism Office (ONMT) garnered the title during the Welcome Travel Group annual convention held this weekend in Casablanca. This major recognition reflects ONMT's commitment to promoting Morocco as a tourism destination in the Italian market. ONMT's director general Achraf Fayda received the award, presented by the WTG president. Not only does this award recognize ONMT's continuous efforts in promoting Morocco as a tourism destination for Italian travelers, but also marks a strategic turning point in relations with key Italian distribution networks. The prize also acknowledges the quality of Morocco's tourism offerings, ONMT's consistent engagement, and the strong partnership built with one of Italy's most powerful industry operators. With approximately 1,500 participants, the Welcome Travel Group conference brought together the most influential players in Italian tourism, including agency executives, tour operators, airlines, MICE agencies, and strategic partners. The event is more than a professional dimension, as it promises significant benefits in promoting Morocco' image, visibility, and business opportunities. Twelve industry publications attended alongside numerous mainstream media outlets, not counting the social media impact from participants. This event creates an exceptional opportunity to promote Morocco's tourism assets, particularly to agencies not yet offering the destination, with the aim of strengthening the country's presence in Italian tour operators. Read also: Morocco's ONMT Eyes Asian Market, Targets China as Key Tourism Giant During the convention, Fayda spoke of Morocco as a prominent tourism destination for Italian tourists, revealing ONMT's ambition to quadruple their number, which accounted to over 900,000 in 2024. Welcome Travel Group leads Italy's tourism distribution sector with an impressive network of 2,492 agencies across the country. Owned by industry giants Alpitour World and Costa Cruise, WTG alone represents 44% of Italy's travel agency market. With its 'Light In Action' strategy, ONMT continues its focused approach of strategic partnerships and growing presence in priority markets. Tags: ItalyMorocco TourismONMTWOrld Travel Group
Morocco World
07-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Aims to Quadruple Italian Tourism as Welcome Travel Group Convention Opens
Rabat — Morocco's tourism officials launched an ambitious growth strategy during the Welcome Travel Group convention that began Saturday in Bouznika. The event, hosted by Morocco's Tourism Office (ONMT), brought together key Italian tour operators and Moroccan tourism leaders. ONMT's Director General director Achraf Fayda shed light on Morocco's position as Africa's top tourism destination with 17.4 million visitors last year, mentioning the untapped potential in the Italian market. 'Last year, we welcomed less than one million Italian visitors, half of whom were Moroccans living in Italy,' he said, noting that the sector is ambitious 'to multiply this figure by two, three, or even four times.' In 2024, Morocco welcomed over 900,000 Italian tourists, making Italy among the largest outbound markets for tourists to the country, alongside France, Spain, the UK, and Germany. The Moroccan government has committed over one billion euros in public tourism investments over the next decade, not counting private sector funding. 'Morocco is transforming six cities hosting the 2030 World Cup, with half a billion euros allocated to each,' Fayda explained. Royal Air Maroc's Commercial Director Ilham Kazzini outlined the airline's expansion plans, targeting growth from 60 aircraft to 130 by 2030. 'We'll be ready for the World Cup,' she assured. Kazzini announced new direct routes between Morocco and Italy, including Marrakech-Milan in September, plus flights to Rome and Bologna. She also recalled a recent code-sharing agreement with ITA Airways, inviting the Italian carrier to develop more connections to Morocco, given the 'enormous potential' between both countries. CEO of TRA Consulting and economist at Milan-Bicocca University Andrea Giuricin delivered a presentation on his analysis of post-Covid global tourism, noting that 'the sector recovered faster than expected, surpassing 2019 levels by 2023.' Read also: Spanish Tourism Giant Ávoris Signs Strategic Agreement with ONMT He specifically commended Morocco's role in this positive trend, noting that 'Africa, especially thanks to Morocco, has experienced a very rapid recovery, aligning with current global trends.' Meanwhile, Luigi Stefanelli, the vice president of global sales for Costa Cruises introduced innovations in excursion offerings with new categorization tailored to different traveler profiles. 'We've completely redesigned our excursion program to make it more understandable for customers and easier for our partners to explain,' he said. This convention, hosting Italy's largest travel agency network under ONMT's leadership, demonstrates Morocco's commitment to strengthening its position in the Mediterranean tourism market. The country aims to diversify its tourism source markets, particularly ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Tags: Italy tourismMoroccoONMTTourism
