Less than two years remain before Morocco realises the goals of Vision 2010, launched in 2001 under King Mohammed VI. This plan – to streamline the country’s tourism industry, encourage investment in the tourism sector, design tourism training programmes and create more employment – includes upgrading of infrastructure, widening the choice of tourism products and beefing up air services between Morocco, Europe and the Middle East. Much of this has already been achieved. In 2007, tourist arrivals hit 7 million – up from 4.7 million in 2003 – just 3 million short of the 10 million visitors that Morocco is hoping to attract by 2010.

An increase in the number of low-cost carriers (LCCs) linking Morocco to Europe, as well as an Open Skies Agreement with the European Union (EU), signed in December 2006, has helped to fuel this jump in arrivals, as have improvements to transport infrastructure. Several airport terminals are being (or have been) modernised and runway improvements are underway in Tangier and Marrakech. The airport upgrades have speeded up the processing of passengers through major gateways such as Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport (it handled 5.8 million domestic and international passengers in 2007) and Marrakech, the leading destination for short-break holidays and weekend getaways. Marketing campaigns centred on other cities, such as Fez and Tangiers, have also boosted inbound travel.