The Kingdom of Morocco has taken a significant step in strengthening its leadership in Africa’s tourism sector with the signing of an agreement to host the first United Nations thematic office for tourism on the continent. The agreement, finalized in Marrakech between Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, and UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, marks a milestone in the partnership between Morocco and the UN’s leading tourism body.
The new thematic office, to be based in Rabat, will focus on fostering innovation, investment, and capacity-building initiatives tailored to Africa’s tourism industry. It will serve as a hub for workshops, conferences, and forums, as well as a platform for startup competitions designed to encourage entrepreneurial ventures across the continent.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Ammor emphasized that the decision to establish the office in Morocco reaffirms the country’s leadership in tourism development on the continent. She noted that the initiative aligns with King Mohammed VI’s vision for African collaboration and the UN Tourism 2030 agenda for the region.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted the significance of this new office, stating, “This office will ensure decentralized, effective communication and coordination with partners while bolstering the actions of UN Tourism for the benefit of Africa’s tourism sector.” He also underlined Morocco’s growing role in attracting global investment to the tourism industry, referencing the launch of new investment guidelines aimed at guiding international stakeholders.
“And, of course, I don’t want to forget the investment guidelines we just launched three hours ago. We want to bring more investors and guide them on why they should invest in Morocco. Morocco is one of the most visited countries,” Pololikashvili remarked.
The establishment of the thematic office marks the first time UN Tourism will have a permanent presence on the African continent, a milestone that Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili described as the beginning of a new era.
“In respect to Marrakech, Morocco is one of the founders of UN Tourism, and we are very happy that our relationship and partnership is now advancing to this next stage. This means that we will have a presence in Africa for the first time ever in the history of UN Tourism, launching new projects, new communications with our member states. This is a historical day and a historical moment. I want to congratulate Morocco, the entire African continent, and UN Tourism.
From today, our relationship is moving to another level of partnership with all our African member states,” he stated.
The thematic office is expected to provide African countries with access to resources that will drive sustainable tourism development, improve investment opportunities, and enhance regional cooperation. With Morocco’s well-established infrastructure and commitment to tourism, the office is positioned to be a catalyst for growth across the continent.
