The Moroccan government recently launched a two-pronged approach to modernize the country's hotel stock. As part of this initiative, an innovative program entitled «Cap Hospitality» has been set up to improve the quality of the kingdom's classified tourist accommodation establishments (EHTC), according to a press release. The program aims to support Morocco's bid to host major international sporting events, namely the African Cup of Nations 2025 and the World Cup 2030. An agreement was signed on June 26 in Rabat by several senior officials, including Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate in charge of Investment, Convergence and the Evaluation of Public Policies Mohcine Jazouli, and Mohammed Benchaaboun, Managing Director of the Mohammed VI Fund for Investment. Under this innovative scheme, loans of up to 100 million dirhams will be granted to finance the renovation of hotel infrastructure, with the State paying all interest. The loans, with a maximum maturity of 12 years, are aimed at modernizing 25,000 rooms, with an expected investment of 4 billion dirhams. Eligible EHTCs will have to meet pre-established criteria and submit their application via a dedicated digital platform, available from July 15, 2024. The program covers a wide range of services, including renovation, upgrading, acquisition of furniture and implementation of energy efficiency programs. A number of Moroccan regions have outdated or even closed tourist accommodation units, affecting the country's attractiveness as a tourist destination. By modernizing these infrastructures, Morocco is preparing not only to host the next major international sporting events, but also to improve the overall quality of its tourism offering, aligning with the ongoing implementation of Law 80-14.
