“The ONMT will also innovate in terms of adapted content on the main social networks, while increasing collaborations, co-branding and influencer marketing,” said a press release from the Office on the occasion of its board of directors meeting on Tuesday in Rabat, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor.
Particular emphasis will also be placed on air travel and distribution with the aim of securing 4.3 million seats for the 2024-25 winter season, representing an annual increase of 15%, the press release states.
The second half of 2024 will also be marked by a strengthening of commercial aggressiveness in traditional markets, the launch of the new stand concept, while continuing the internal transformation of the Office to be in line with the new tourism ambitions of the Kingdom, specifies the same source.
The Board of Directors reviewed the exceptional performance of the Morocco destination in 2023, a year of recovery, as well as the records recorded at the end of May 2024 and the main projects to be carried out this year.
These achievements confirm the dynamism of the sector, the fruit of the efforts deployed by the ONMT, particularly in the areas of air travel, distribution, international promotion and digital.
Thus, despite a year 2023 marked by the Al Haouz earthquake and a particular international context, the Morocco destination outperformed and surpassed its main competitors by recording arrivals, overnight stays and revenues in strong growth of, respectively, 34%, 35% and 12%.
The year 2023 also saw the launch of the offensive action plan “Light in Action”, which is intended to be an ambitious plan, in perfect harmony with the new tourism roadmap, recalls the press release, noting that four levers of action have been defined, namely marketing, all-in digital, doubling air travel and conquering markets.
After the presentation of the 2023 financial report, an overview of the sector’s performance during the first half of 2024 was presented to the Office’s directors.
By the end of May 2024, nearly 6 million tourists had visited Morocco, an increase of 15% compared to the same period last year and an increase of 38% compared to 2019, the reference year.
The same observation applies to overnight stays, which reached 10.44 million at the end of May, up 8% compared to 2023. Travel revenues, for their part, reached 31.87 billion dirhams in the first four months of the current year, the same level recorded in 2023 and a significant increase of 39% compared to the end of April 2019.
2024 starts under the best auspices
During the first six months of 2024, ONMT teams have been on all fronts. The Office has increased partnerships with national and international media to generate promotional content in addition to the production and distribution of “Visit Morocco Originals” video content on ONMT digital platforms as well as the activation of influence campaigns in the main markets.
In terms of commercial partnerships in the air sector, the ONMT did better than in 2023 through a 40% increase in contractual capacity during the first half of the year, without forgetting the launch of new air routes with the aim of better connecting the Morocco destination to all issuing markets.
Regarding participation in the main tourism fairs, the ONMT shone at the biggest global events in the sector thanks to an innovative and unique stand highlighting the regions with dedicated spaces. This earned the ONMT the prize for the best stand at Fitur 2024 in Madrid and at the Salon des Vacances in Brussels.
Exceptional record of Mr. Adel El Fakir
At the end of the presentation, the minutes of the Board of Directors of December 20, 2023, the accounts for the 2023 financial year, as well as the draft resolutions were approved by all the directors, as well as its action plan for the second half of 2024 and the structuring projects for the Office and the Morocco destination.
The Board of Directors also warmly thanked Mr. Adel El Fakir for the work accomplished over the past 6 years at the head of the ONMT, while praising his positive results and the success of the various projects launched under his mandate, in particular the internal transformation of the Office, the strengthening of the visibility of the Morocco destination internationally, the multiplication of strategic partnerships with major global players in the tourism industry, particularly in the air sector, without forgetting the success of the “Morocco, Land of Light” promotion and communication campaigns.
The ONMT Board of Directors wishes Mr. Adel El Fakir every success in his new role as Director General of the National Airports Office (ONDA), and his missions for the transformation of ONDA, the management of the Office’s strategic projects as well as the upgrading of the Kingdom’s airports.
2024-08-31 21:30:29