Nearly a million Moroccans are opting to travel abroad rather than explore domestic destinations, driven by high prices and subpar services within the country. This trend, reported by Assabah in its weekend edition of July 20-21, highlights the lack of a strategic plan by successive tourism ministers to promote internal tourism with affordable and appealing offers for Moroccan families.
Assabah also criticizes local government officials for organizing festivals and events without leveraging these to boost other sectors such as hospitality, dining, craftsmanship, and transportation. These events often lack efficiency and fail to contribute to broader economic goals.
Issues such as inconsistent quality control, poor hygiene, and high prices in some establishments further exacerbate the problem. The informal sector, which offers lower-priced services at the expense of quality, also undermines the overall tourism experience.
As a result, many Moroccan families are choosing foreign destinations like Spain, Turkey, or Portugal, where they find more attractive and affordable options. This dissatisfaction surfaces just days before the thematic parliamentary commission is set to present its findings on public tourism policy. Increasing voices in the media and on social platforms criticize the national tourism ministry’s inadequate efforts to encourage domestic tourism, raising doubts about the effectiveness of current public policies in the tourism sector.
The parliamentary commission, adopting a participatory approach, consulted sector stakeholders and conducted field visits to compile its report. The detailed conclusions are expected to be presented next week, and we will keep you updated on the developments.
