Morocco/Beni Mellal-Khenifra: Launch of the "Sustainable Tourism Switzerland-Morocco" programme in the region

The "Sustainable Tourism Switzerland-Morocco" programme was launched last Tuesday in Béni Mellal, with the aim of supporting the dynamics of tourist activity over the next four years in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region.

The launching of this program was made official by the signature of a convention relating to the impulse of the tourist investment at the level of the region of Beni Mellal-Khe.nifra region and another on the setting up of a technical and financial support mechanism for the rehabilitation of rural tourist accommodation in the region.
The first convention was signed by the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Air Transport and Social Economy, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, the wali of the Béni Mellal-Khé region.nifra region, Khatib El Hebil, the president of the board of directors of the Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company (SMIT), Imad Barrakad, and the director of the Regional Investment Centre of Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Mohamed Amine Bekkali.
The second convention has been initialled by the Minister of Tourism, the wali of the region of Beni Mellal-Khenifra, the president of the board of directors of the SMIT and the director of the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation "Swiss contact Maroc", Didier Krumm.
The two conventions relating to the launch of this Programme aim to support local actors in setting up a coordination platform for the development of sustainable tourism, the enhancement of tourist attractions and regional production (local products and handicrafts), the upgrading of rural accommodation, as well as the training of qualified professionals in the tourism sector.
Co-financed by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Tourism and Industry and the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry.re du Tourisme and the SMIT, to the tune of 38.5 million DH, the "Sustainable Tourism Switzerland-Morocco" programme will be spread over the period 2020-2024 in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region. It also aims to help the region and, more particularly, the provinces of Béni Mellal and Azilal to develop sustainable tourism, in order to reduce the impact of climate change on the region.It also aims to help the region and, more specifically, the provinces of Beni Mellal and Azilal to develop sustainable tourism in order to reduce poverty, generate income, create new jobs and improve existing ones, especially for young people and women.
On this occasion, Ms Fettah Alaoui said that the region of Beni Mellal-Khenifra, which is rich in natural resources, unparalleled landscapes and has a wealth of natural resources, has a high quality of life and a high level of cultural diversity.cultural, historical and geological heritage, must be ranked as one of the "most internationally renowned nature and eco-tourism destinations". The region's tourism offer is based on a mix of splendid natural sites with an exceptionally diverse and rich flora and fauna, in addition to major hydrological deposits and reliefs sculpting its extraordinary landscape, the Minister stressed.
Ms Fettah Alaoui furthermore welcomed the importance given by regional officials to the M'goun Geological Park, welcoming the recognition of this site as World Heritage for a second time.This makes the Geopark an International Label and remains the first one at the African and Arab levels to have obtained this world reference recognition. And to add that the geographical location of this region allows it to take advantage of its proximity to the two largest tourism poles in the Kingdom, namely Marrakech and Casablanca.
"The tourist industry is a locomotive of economic and social development in Morocco, achieving very encouraging results, and this thanks to the Royal High Orientations", she indicated.The tourist industry is a driving force of economic and social development in Morocco, achieving very encouraging results, thanks to the Royal High Orientations", she indicated, noting that the "current particular circumstances call upon us to seize the opportunities which are offered, within a framework of partnership and synergy guided by the spirit of patriotism and general interest".
The capacity of the tourist economy to emerge from the current situation and to overcome this crisis remains dependent on the cooperation and involvement of the various players, in a spirit marked by the presence of the values of solidarity and mutual aid which have united Moroccans in the face of crises since the dawn of time, she added.
A few months ago, the region of Beni Mellal-Khenifra witnessed the signing of several agreements concerning the tourism sector, including a partnership convention aimed at implementing an ambitious programme for an overall investment of 172 million DH, which will enable the development of several important tourist sites with a view to increasing their attractiveness.
The director of Swiss Contact Morocco, the agency in charge of the execution of the Programme, has for his part indicated that the "Sustainable Tourism Switzerland-Morocco" programme is part of a bilateral agreement between the governments of Morocco and the Swiss Confederation in order to promote social and economic development. M. Mr Krumm stressed that this programme is based on 3 pillars, namely the development of conditions conducive to the development of sustainable tourism, the strengthening of the competitiveness of the Moroccan economy and the promotion of sustainable tourism.titiveness and market access for certain sectors included in the tourism value chain, as well as the development of tourism skills.

Source: lematin.ma