The start of the 2022 international tourist season is launched in Madrid. The Morocco destination is actively present there, through the participation of the Moroccan National Tourist Office in this 42nd edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), which begins this Wednesday at the Madrid Fair (IFEMA).
The presence of the ONMT is offensive at this show, through a stand with an area of 100 m² run by the new team of the ONMT in Madrid, thus indicating the desire to prepare for the revival of tourist activity in the destination Morocco.
For Adel El Fakir, general manager of the ONMT, “it is very important that we are present at FITUR. Despite a still uncertain health context and travel restrictions, the Office not only maintained its presence but deployed a new task force to mark the presence of Morocco as a destination and be ready for the relaunch.
Indeed, a new team has been deployed on the Iberian market, led by Khalid Mimi, formerly ONMT delegate on the French market.
Adel El Fakir adds that “this participation in FITUR sends a strong signal on behalf of the destination Morocco, ready to seize all opportunities for a dynamic recovery in 2022. We also intend to further facilitate connectivity, in particular air, to rebuild as soon as possible the air routes to Morocco”.
With more than 2.2 million tourists, the Iberian market is “highly strategic and a priority” for Morocco, with development potential in all segment opportunities, including MICE, sports and adventure tourism, well-being and golf, according to the ONMT.
The presence of the Office and professionals in Madrid aims to highlight Morocco as a close and ”safe” destination, with a guaranteed return on experience.
It also makes it possible to maintain partnership relations with airlines, as well as travel prescribers with the aim of a rapid and lasting recovery, as soon as regulatory conditions allow it. The show will also provide the opportunity to explore new opportunities with airline and distribution players from Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
Still according to Adel El Fakir, it should be noted that ” FITUR is only a first meeting in our 2022 programming. It is important that our partners feel our confidence in the future and all the efforts made to impose the leadership of our destination, which has unique assets and an exceptional diversity in terms of the experiences offered.
The ONMT stand will welcome representatives of the national airlines, Royal Air Maroc and Air Arabia, as well as Moroccan hoteliers and tour operators, with representations in Europe. They will take part in a meeting program with major local partners.
For national tourism stakeholders unable to make the trip due to traffic restrictions, the teams of the local ONMT delegation will act on their behalf as sales representatives and will promote business relations despite the distance.
Beyond the presence at FITUR, the Moroccan National Tourist Office is making every effort to ensure that the destination’s 2022 promotion program operates under the best conditions regardless of the current and future hazards, due to the crisis. current health.
Thanks to the agility and increased skills acquired over the past two years, the ONMT is more mobilized than ever to carry out its promotional and commercial mission.
In the current context and in order to overcome the difficulties experienced by professionals, the ONMT is committed to an incentive policy, allowing the participation or the presence of tourist actors on the stand of the Office, for those wishing to be represented at Madrid.
After Madrid, the Berlin ITB, which will take place from March 9 to 13, 2022, is the next step in this roadmap, under a digital system decided by its organizers. A format on which the ONMT has developed a decisive know-how, in terms of online meetings or virtual fairs.
The Fitur is the second most important tourist meeting in the world of Tourism after the ITB. The 2020 edition of this world mass ended with historic figures with a total of 255,000 visitors, 918 main exhibitors, 11,040 companies, 165 countries and regions and an international participation of 56%.
The Iberian Peninsula, the second source market for foreign tourists to Morocco after France, represents a share of 17% and abounds in enormous potential for emissions to Morocco.
For Guillermo Gonzalez Vallina, Iberia’s sales manager for Spain, Portugal and North Africa, “Morocco is a destination very close to Spain, but which transports those who visit it into a completely different and very surprising.
”We are delighted to also promote Morocco in our network of more than 100 destinations in Europe, and in which we made progress last year with more flights to the cities of Casablanca, Marrakech and Tangier. We hope that our collaboration with Morocco will be as fruitful as it has been so far and that the beautiful prospects of the summer of 2022 will come true,” he said.
Amuda Goueli, CEO and co-founder of Destinia (OTA), said, for his part, that “we are looking forward to the reopening of the Moroccan market and we look forward to resuming the destination’s programming and offering it to our users. , because for us it is one of the main international destinations for our customers from Southern Europe (especially Spanish, French and Portuguese)”.
“We are confident about the rapid opening of the borders, as Morocco is one of the best prepared destinations to offer a safe and high quality service, as has been demonstrated in recent years,” added Mr. Gouéli.
“We are leaders on the Spanish market, and our ambitions and development challenges in Morocco are stronger than ever,” noted Antonio Guerra, general manager of Luxotour (TO).