Lahcen Haddad: Moroccan Tourism Industry Weathered Impact Of Economic Crisis, 'Arab Spring'

 The Moroccan tourism industry has shown great resilience to the global economic crisis and the impact of the "Arab Spring", said, Thursday in Madrid, Minister of Tourism, Lahcen Haddad.

   Thanks to the sectoral policy adopted by the government, the stability of Morocco, its geographical location, and its strategic vision, the tourism sector, which is of great importance for the Moroccan economy, has managed to overcome the situation and enhance its dynamism, said Mr. Haddad, who was speaking in a forum on "The future of tourism in the MENA region", held on the sidelines of the 34th edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2014) held on January 22-26 in Madrid.

   The minister said the tourism sector is expected to show an improvement of nearly 7 per cent in 2013 and 10 per cent in 2014, noting that despite a challenging juncture, Morocco has managed to consolidate its position as the first destination of French and Spanish tourists outside the European Union.