Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sign an agreement to reinforce their tourism cooperation

Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed, on friday, a memorandum of mutual understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector and harmonizing efforts to achieve sustainable development of the tourism industry in both countries.

Both Mr. Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Saudi Arabian Minister of Tourism, and Mrs. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, the Moroccan Minister of Tourism, Handicraft and Social and Economic Solidarity, were present at the signing ceremony, which took place in Marrakech alongside the 117th Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (WTO).

“This Memorandum of Understanding between Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia illustrates a common vision between our two countries and marks a turning point in our cooperation in the tourism sector. It will lead to more joint initiatives, sharing of experiences and best practices, and will enable both countries to promote their tourism sectors and thus maximize their potential in this industry,” declared Mrs. Fatim-Zahra Ammor.

“In addition to putting young talent at the heart of our development plans, Saudi Arabia and Morocco share a commitment to protecting each other’s rich cultural heritages and natural landscapes, including the sea, mountains, and desert. Saudi Arabia’s tourism goals are centered on sustainability, and by collaborating with like-minded partners like the Kingdom of Morocco, we hope to strengthen the industry both locally and globally to make travel more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for people and communities “Mr. Al Khateeb stated.

The signing of this MOU will give Morocco and Saudi Arabia the opportunity to learn from one another’s experiences and open up new possibilities for cooperation and growth as the global tourism industry continues to look for ways to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, both Morocco and Saudi Arabia are aware of the tourism industry’s potential to support regional economic growth while promoting local job creation. The MoU will strengthen training and knowledge-sharing initiatives, support sustainable tourism efforts, and open up new investment opportunities in the travel industry.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is one of Morocco’s principal Arab allies. The kingdom invested $26.6 million in Morocco’s real estate, agricultural, and tourism industries in 2020. This MoU will facilitate increased tourism investment opportunities for both nations and will also permit a significant transfer of technical expertise and tourism training.