Marrakech welcomed a high-profile gathering of tourism leaders, investors, and policymakers on Friday, April 24, as the city hosted the second edition of the International Conference on Tourism Innovation and Investment. The two-day forum brought together global decision-makers to chart the future of travel and reinforce Morocco’s standing as Africa’s emerging hub for tourism innovation.
Organized by the Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering (SMIT) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, alongside UN Tourism, the conference unfolded against a backdrop of record growth in Morocco’s tourism sector. The gathering aimed to accelerate investment in innovative tourism products, position Morocco as a launchpad for African travel innovation, and elevate creative entrepreneurship as a driver of the industry’s next chapter.
Three Moroccan Startups Win National Tourism Innovation Awards
The event’s most anticipated moment came with the announcement of three winners in a national startup competition jointly organized by SMIT and UN Tourism.
Winners Across Three Categories
Amine Baha took home the prize for Moroccan culinary arts, Ilyas Eddaki won the entertainment gaming category, and Chaimae Loukmani earned the award for digitizing tourism services. Each winner represents a new generation of Moroccan entrepreneurs reshaping how visitors discover and experience the country.
A New Competition for Rural Tourism
Conference organizers also unveiled a new competition dedicated to rural tourism, designed to identify and mentor projects with measurable territorial impact. The initiative, launched jointly by SMIT and UN Tourism, signals a deliberate shift toward distributing tourism’s economic benefits beyond Morocco’s traditional urban gateways.
What Did Morocco’s Tourism Minister Say About Innovation?
Speaking at the opening session, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, said Morocco is undergoing a profound transformation under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, anchored in long-term investment in infrastructure and human capital. She described tourism as a cornerstone of that transformation.
20 Million Visitors and a New Growth Model
Ammor pointed to concrete results from the country’s tourism roadmap, noting that accommodation capacity has expanded by 20 percent and that roughly 2,000 tourism projects are receiving support. Morocco welcomed 20 million visitors last year, she confirmed, but stressed that the figure alone does not define success. The ministry’s forward strategy, she explained, places innovation at the center of growth, supported by an ecosystem that backs startups, broadens access to financing, and opens new markets. The future of tourism, she said, will be built by emerging talent and bold ideas.
How Does UN Tourism View Morocco’s Position in Global Travel?
Sheikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, praised Morocco as more than a destination, calling it an international crossroads where ideas converge and the contours of modern tourism are being redrawn. She described the country’s 20-million-visitor milestone as a moment of genuine pride and emphasized that innovation is not only about generating new ideas but about clearing the path for future generations to define what tourism becomes.
Why Tourism Investment Is Moving Beyond Hotels and Resorts
Imad Barrakad, Director General of SMIT, told attendees that tourism investment has moved well beyond hotels and resorts. The most distinctive destinations today, he said, are those built on integrated concepts and powered by startups. Morocco, with its layered cultural heritage, geographic diversity, and global recognition, is positioned to lead in that integrated model.
Panel Discussions on Financing and Acceleration
The conference program included two panel discussions exploring the financing of tourism innovation, the acceleration of startup growth, and the trends shaping tomorrow’s travel economy, including investment patterns and acceleration ecosystems. Direct business meetings between decision-makers and project leaders aimed to translate dialogue into concrete partnerships.
How Has SMIT Reshaped Tourism Investment in Morocco?
Over the past three years, SMIT has fundamentally reshaped Morocco’s tourism investment landscape, moving from a model centered on accommodation capacity to an integrated, value-driven approach built around the visitor experience. That shift rests on three strategic pillars: restructuring the country’s tourism offering, proactively activating investment, and diversifying products and experiences.
Aligning With the 2023-2026 Tourism Roadmap
These efforts align with Morocco’s 2023-2026 tourism roadmap, which channels investment into integrated tourism experiences spanning entertainment and animation, culture and culinary arts, digital solutions and emerging formats, and the development of regional destinations.
Why Marrakech Was Chosen to Host the Conference
Marrakech’s role as host reflects the momentum driving Morocco’s tourism sector, the kingdom’s ongoing investment in modern infrastructure and services, and its ambition to remain a preferred destination for high-value tourism investment across Africa and beyond.
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