The Head of Government receives the CEO of Accor Group
The Head of Government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, accompanied by Mrs. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Crafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, received on Thursday Mr. Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor Group, one of the world leaders in the hotel industry.
The meeting was an opportunity to explore investment opportunities aimed at strengthening Accor Group's presence in Morocco, in line with the objectives of the tourism roadmap, which places particular emphasis on increasing accommodation capacity, especially in light of major sporting events such as the 2030 World Cup. In this context, the Head of Government emphasized that this event promises to catalyze a profound and lasting transformation of Moroccan tourism, with impacts on the sector that will be felt well beyond 2030.
It was also an opportunity to highlight all the measures initiated by Morocco to propel its tourism to new heights, particularly the 2023-2026 roadmap, which is already bearing fruit. A record 14.5 million tourists was reached in 2023, while the first half of 2024 already shows 7.4 million arrivals, representing 909,000 additional tourists compared to the same period in 2023. This exceptional dynamic is also reflected in sustained investment in accommodation infrastructure, illustrated by the opening of 135 new hotel units in 2023, strategically distributed across the Kingdom.
For his part, Mr. Sebastian Bazin enthusiastically reiterated Accor Group's confidence in Morocco's tourism potential. He expressed the group's firm willingness to intensify its presence and investments in the country, thus demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting Morocco's remarkable tourism momentum and actively contributing to preparing the country to successfully host upcoming major events.
To realize this ambition, Accor Group envisions a dual strategy: introducing new innovative brands to the Moroccan market while consolidating those already well-established in the country.
Part of the government's resolute commitment to developing Moroccan tourism, this meeting reflects the desire to strengthen solid and lasting partnerships with major international groups ready to invest in the development of Moroccan tourism.
Also participating in this meeting were Olivier Granet, CEO and Chairman of Kasada Capital Management, Hamid Bentahar, President of Accor Morocco, and Kamal Ghazal, General Secretary and Legal Director of Accor.
