Marrakech home to Africa office of UN tourism body

The UN World Tourism Organization picked Marrakech as a home to its regional Africa office, Moroccan media reported citing official sources.

The decision was taken during the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly amid fierce competition from other African cities.

During the 24th UNWTO General Assembly, Morocco has also been elected a member of the Executive Council of this organization for 2021-2025 period.

The designation of Marrakech as a capital for African tourism will further bolster the Kingdom’s effort to stand out as a competitive tourist destination.

In 2019, Morocco was the second most popular tourist destination in the continent attracting 13 million people only outperformed by South Africa.

The sector however, which represents 7% of Morocco’s GDP, took a hit following the pandemic with a little over 2 million tourists visiting the country in 2020.

Flight bans and restrictive measures have taken a toll on the tourist industry and the government promised tax incentives and aid to workers in the sector to offset some of the pandemic’s impact.