Morocco eyes expansion of tourism market in Norden

The Moroccan authorities are looking for expanding tourism market in Finland and other Nordic countries through strengthening ties among the Moroccan and Nordic travel agencies.

A business-to-business travel trade show jointly organized by Moroccan National Tourism Office, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Finland and the Denmark-based public relations firm Atlantic Link held in a Helsinki hotel on Tuesday where representatives from 30 Finnish travel agencies took part.

The event, which followed an initial launch in Denmark on Monday, created an opportunity for the local travel agencies to exchange views with their Moroccan counterparts with the view to create avenues for partnerships and growth in the tourism sector.

“We brought different tour operators and travel agencies from Morocco to meet their counterparts in Finland. The idea is to help the Moroccan companies in reaching out and creating network with the Finnish travel agents”, said Hatim El Gharbi, Business Unit Manager from Moroccan National Tourism Office.

Local attendees engaged in discussions with the Moroccan partners on market insights and potential joint ventures that could enhance the travel experiences for the Finnish travellers.

“This kind of event is a part of the strategic plans launched by the government of Morocco in promoting Moroccan tourism, which provides more incentives to the tourism operators and partners in Finland and other European countries, especially after the COVID pandemic time”, Mohamed Achgalou, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Morocco in Finland told Daily Finland.

“We expect more dynamics in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the tourism industry,” the Ambassador added.

The Scandinavian countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark represent a burgeoning market for Morocco’s tourism industry.

Known for their high standard of living and penchant for travel, Scandinavian tourists are increasingly seeking unique and culturally enriching destinations, while Morocco, with its diverse landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture, presents an attractive destination.

Also, Morocco is now the top destination for Nordic travellers among the African countries and is ranked as the 24th safest country to visit on the Global Finance list of the world’s safest countries, said the organisers.

“We are currently aiming at MICE (Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and corporate travels. In this event, we also introduced different high-end and luxury tourism products,“ El Gharbi said.

The organisers said that Morocco's efforts in sustainable tourism resonate well with the environmentally conscious Nordic travellers.

Initiatives to preserve natural landscapes and promote eco-friendly tourism options make Morocco an attractive destination for responsible travelling, they added.

“Authenticity is the important factors for the Finnish travellers when considering a travel destination,” said El Gharbi, adding “in recent years, Moroccan tourism providers in the popular destinations have been taking eco-friendly practices and adapting to the green standards when it comes to operation. We want to show a good image of Morocco to the international crowd.”

A significant highlight announced at the trade show was the introduction of new direct flights connecting Helsinki to Marrakech and Agadir by Norwegian Air, set to commence in November 2024. This development is poised to greatly enhance tourism promotion between Finland and Morocco, making travel between the two countries more convenient and accessible.

“The key point is about connections. We have also been working with Finnair and Finland-based travel agency Aurinkomatkat. Perhaps we will expect even more direct flights from Helsinki to Morocco.” said El Gharbi.

The increased connectivity is expected to lead to a surge in Finnish tourists exploring the diverse attractions of Morocco, thereby contributing to the growth of the Moroccan tourism sector.

“At the moment, we expect about 120,000 visitors from all 4 Nordic countries annually. We aim to attract around 800,000 from these countries by 2030. This Nordic market is very important to us”, said El Gharbi.

Following the success from Helsinki event, the trade show continues its journey across Scandinavian countries.