ONMT To Hold Welcome Travel Group's Annual Convention in Casablanca
Rabat – Morocco's Tourism Office (ONMT) will hold the Welcome Travel Group's annual convention in Casablanca in April.
The event will bring together over 1,500 travel experts from the Italian tourism industry from April 4-7, providing an opportunity to promote Morocco's tourism assets, especially Rabat, Casablanca, and El Jadida as destinations of choice.
Achraf Fayda, ONMT general director signed a memorandum with Adriano Apicella, CEO of Travel Group to hold the annual convention in Casablanca.
'We see the Italian market as a real opportunity to consolidate Morocco's appeal,' ONMT said Fayda, noting that the tourism office is putting initiatives with key players in Italian tourism to fulfill this commitment.
'Through the introduction of direct air connections and targeted actions, we aim to offer Italian travelers easy access and an authentic experience, making Morocco their destination of choice,' Fayda added.
ONMT said in a statement that the Welcome Travel Group represents 33% of all Italian travel agencies, with a 44% market share.
Over 900,000 Italian tourists visited Morocco in 2024, making Italy among the largest outbound markets for tourists to Morocco, alongside France, Spain, the UK, and Germany.
'The Italian market accounts for over 5% of international markets,' ONMT said, noting that the dynamic is set to continue in the coming years, with average annual growth of 7-10% until 2030.
Morocco celebrated the arrival of over 17.4 million tourists in 2024. This number exceeded the goal set for 2026.
In January, Morocco welcomed 1.2 million tourists, marking a 27% increase compared to the same month last year. In total, an additional 272,000 tourists flocked to the North African country.
'Morocco continues its upward trend in early 2025, surpassing for the first time the symbolic milestone of one million tourists in January,' the ministry said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Morocco World
Morocco to Contribute to Ghana's Food Security with 2,000 Tons of Fertilizer Donation
Rabat – Morocco has renewed its commitment to contributing to Africa's food security through its fertilizer donation program, with Ghana being the latest beneficiary of the North African country's pan-African vision of contributing to reducing food poverty across the continent. Ghana's Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the news on his X account last week, noting that the significant agreements the two countries signed include food security cooperation. The cooperation agreement will begin with a free donation of 2,000 tonnes of fertilizers to Ghanaian farmers, as well as technical support for the construction of a modern fertilizer manufacturing plant in Ghana, the minister detailed. Morocco has been expressing its commitment to contributing to the continent's food security efforts through different programs, including fertilizer donations. OCP, Morocco's giant fertilizer group, has been donating fertilizers or offering discounts on prices on fertilizers to many countries on the continent. In July, OCP donated 15,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate fertilizers to Rwanda in a bid to help the East African country increase its agricultural production. The same month saw Morocco donating 3,924 bags of fertilizers to Saint Lucia to assist local farmers and reduce production costs. In December 2022, Morocco also donated 5,000 tonnes of fertilizers to smallholder farmers in Mauritania. In October of the same year, Morocco donated 25,0000 tonnes of fertilizer to smallholder farmers in Senegal. The country's recent fertilizer donation to Ghana comes as the two African nations are working to boost their cooperation and bilateral ties further at all levels. Okudzeto Ablakwa stressed the importance of the other agreements he signed during his visit to Morocco, including scholarships for Ghanaian students, training of young Ghanaian students to become pilots at Morocco's prestigious pilot training academy, as well as educational exchange programs in many areas of shared strategic priority. During his visit to Morocco, the Ghanaian minister expressed his country's support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible political pathway to end the dispute over Western Sahara. The news came as a new setback to Algeria's regime activism, which has unsuccessfully continued to challenge Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara. Kenya made the same announcement last month, joining a relentlessly growing list of countries that now regard the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative as the only feasible political horizon for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Sahara. Tags: agricultural fertilizersfertilizers
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
Agriculture: Moroccan Growers Struggle to Find Manpower Despite High Unemployment
Rabat — Moroccan farmers are reportedly struggling to find agricultural workers, despite high unemployment affecting all sectors, including the agricultural industry. Hortdaily shed light on the struggles faced by Moroccan growers, stressing that the issue is a new and different kind of scarcity that has emerged. 'Moroccan growers are struggling to mobilize manpower and sound the alarm about an imminent crisis, the first signs of which are already present,' the same source said, quoting growers' concerns. One of the speakers described the situation as a 'labor scarcity' that affects all regions across the country, impacting the profitability of different sectors. Othmane Michbal, the deputy general manager of Domaines Zniber, described the situation as 'so dire today that labor is sourced anywhere from 100 to 150 kilometers away from production sites at a high cost.' Laraisse Esserhini, director of the Moroccan Association of Fruit and Vegetable Exporting Producers, echoed the same concerns, noting that the shortage of workers is extending to all production zones across the country. Immigration is one of the factors behind the shortage, as many Moroccan agricultural workers prefer to go to European countries on seasonal or permanent contracts to seek better opportunities. On an annual basis, dozens of agricultural workers flock to Spain in different seasons, including for strawberry collection campaigns. Unemployment or low pay rates are among the major reasons why Moroccans seek to leave the country for Europe or beyond. Recent data from the Moroccan High Commission for Planning (HCP) showed in November last year that the unemployment rate climbed to 13.6% in the third quarter of 2024. This means that unemployment inched up from 13.5% to 13.6%, showing a continuous trend in the lack of job opportunities, both in rural and urban areas. The statistics showed that unemployment shows the largest rise in the construction sector. The challenges also extend to the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors. Climate crisis affects the sector In addition to labor scarcity, Morocco is also facing other challenges driven by climate change. The North African country is enduring a seventh dry season due to the lack of rainfall and limited water reserves. Recent statistics from government sources show that the country has a capacity of one and a half years of potable drinking water. Water scarcity concerns led to several cautious measures, including the cancellation of the Eid Al Adha sacrifice ritual this year, as well as rational water use recommendations from the government. However, these concerns come amid the continuous production of water-thirsty crops, including watermelon and avocados. Recent reports showed that Morocco claimed a new place among the world's key avocado exporters. It has crossed the 100,000-ton mark in avocado exports, EastFruit reported. Parliament Member Fatima Tamni, who spoke to Morocco World News (MWN), condemned the lack of restrictions on the production of water-thirsty crops amid drought. 'The government is not fulfilling its role; it has not reduced exports or decreased the quantities of crops grown, all of which deplete water resources,' she told MWN, noting that the focus should first be on self-sufficiency and food security so that Morocco can support purchasing power and curb inflation. 'The government has not considered reducing the vegetables and fruits directed for export, including avocados, export is possible but not at the expense of Morocco's food security due to rising prices,' she added. Tags: agriculture exportincrease of unemployment
Ya Biladi
4 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Fraxinet, a 10th-century Muslim trading post in Saint-Tropez
In the 10th century, Saint-Tropez was home to a Saracen trading post following a Muslim conquest around 890, likely led by sailors from Al-Andalus. This historic land, situated at the crossroads of maritime, commercial, and military routes in the Mediterranean, witnessed the evolution of civilizations due to its proximity to Sardinia and Sicily. Over the centuries, the French commune absorbed these influences. At the turn of the 9th century, the territory experienced Muslim raids and incursions in southern Europe, where Al-Andalus and the Italian islands endured centuries of caliphal rule. Fraxinet emerged amid numerous armed power struggles. Alongside the Three Sacks of Rome in 846, 849, and 876, raids targeted Provence, including attacks on Marseille in 838 and 846. Simultaneously, Muslim forces established bases in Camargue (France), Bari (Italy), and Crete (Greece) during the 9th century. More than a corsair outpost in Saint-Tropez, Fraxinet became a significant economic and political landmark, though historical records remain scarce. Some accounts link Saint-Tropez's Muslim past to these incursions, leaving a lasting mark on the commune. The 10th-century Muslim chronicler and geographer Mohammed Abul-Kassem ibn Hawqal mentioned Fraxinet in his travel writings. Known for his journeys between 943 and 969, the author of the famous Configuration of the Earth describes an island at the Rhône's mouth, near Al-Andalus, reminiscent of the Balearics. An Autonomous Muslim Stronghold Historian and chronicler Ibn Hayyan al-Qurtubi (987–1076) refers to an Umayyad «peace treaty» sent around 941 to affiliated territories, including Fraxinet's leader. According to this scholar from Córdoba, the border area primarily served a military function, acting as a fortress and launch point for offensives. Despite its distance from the caliphal center in Al-Andalus, the trading post was managed by leaders who maintained significant autonomy. This collection of historical clues suggests that Fraxinet's warriors founded their Saint-Tropez outpost for defensive purposes, reinforcing border Muslim raids. Political instability in the region facilitated the rapid conquest of southern European lands. Additionally, the fertile land fostered agricultural and economic prosperity, even as the Fatimids (909–1171) rose in Egypt, North Africa's Ifriqiya, and Sicily before the Norman conquest in the 11th century. In The Saracens of Fraxinetum in the 10th Century, published in Islamic Lands and the Latin World (Presses universitaires de Lyon, 2000), medieval historians Pierre Guichard and Denis Menjot confirm these insights. They note that «Provence suffered from Saracen raids since the mid-9th century, similar to southern Italy». However, these repeated attacks mainly affected the western region and did not quickly lead to lasting settlement. The second wave of invasions, however, brought about deeper changes «for nearly a century», as testified by Bishop Liutprand of Cremona (920–971/972), cited by the authors. «A familiar of Otto I, whom he served as ambassador to Byzantium, Liutprand lived for a long time at the court of Hugh of Arles and had good knowledge of Provence. In his main work, dedicated to Bishop Recemund of Elvira, the Antapodosis ('Reprisals' against Berengar II of Ivrea), he recounts the events in Provence from the Saracens' arrival to their final defeat», the researchers explain. They add that the Saracens' settlement «may have begun with a fortuitous event: the shipwreck of a marauding boat from Umayyad Spain». A Military Base for Northern Incursions Guichard and Menjot further explain that the new conquerors «were reinforced between the late 9th century and early 10th century» to «take over the forested scrubland of the Maures and fortify themselves on the Fraxinet peninsula, in the Gulf of Grimaud (Var)». From this base, «they devastated eastern Provence, raided deep into the Alps, and created a genuine climate of insecurity», the historians emphasize. The Saracens' raids intensified alongside escalating political struggles in the Kingdom of Arles. The authors note that «King Hugh secured the Byzantine emperor's support, whose troops blockaded Fraxinetum in 942, but Hugh's rival Berengar of Ivrea engaged the Saracens, angering Liutprand. Emperor Otto unsuccessfully negotiated with the Caliph of Córdoba to recall the Muslim bands. The capture of Abbot Mayeul of Cluny at the Great Saint Bernard Pass provoked a strong reaction, leading to military operations — primarily by Count Guillem of Provence against Fraxinetum — resulting in the Saracens' final expulsion in 972». In Fraxinetum: An Islamic Frontier State in Tenth-Century Provence, Mohammad Ballan describes the Andalusian colony of Fraxinet as an «Islamic frontier entity» developed into a significant economic and military center in Provence. Serving as an advanced post of Al-Andalus, Fraxinet had the dual purpose of defense and community enrichment, as Ibn Hawqal described. Thus, the Saracens proclaimed their emirate of Fraxinet to invest in the territory and use it as a base for larger-scale northern military expeditions. Notably, they controlled western Alpine passes and dominated trade routes between France, Italy, and Switzerland, parts of which were under their control. Between 890 and 972, the Saint-Tropez peninsula was an Arab-Muslim colony known as Jabal al-Qilâl («Mountain of Peaks«) or Farakhshinit — the Arabized form of the Gallo-Roman fraxinetu. The region was governed by Nasr ibn Ahmad, appointed caïd around 940. The Saracens were definitively expelled in 976 by Guillaume I, Count of Provence (960–993) and Lord of Grimaud, who fortified the city by building a tower on the current site of the Suffren in 980.
