Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, engaged in discussions on Monday with the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, who is on an official visit to Morocco. During the talks, Bourita emphasized the strategic alliance between Morocco and the UNWTO, founded on mutual priorities and a unified vision for the future of global tourism. Bourita expressed appreciation for the UNWTO's decision to establish a Thematic Office in Morocco. This new office is expected to act as a collaborative platform between Morocco, the UNWTO, and its member countries, adhering to King Mohammed VI's vision for proactive, supportive, and pragmatic South-South cooperation. The minister also spotlighted Morocco's significant tourism projects, including hosting the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. He noted that these events represent exceptional opportunities to enhance Morocco's tourism appeal while adhering to international best practices in sustainable tourism. In response, UNWTO's Secretary-General Pololikashvili commended Morocco's organization of major sporting events, reinforcing the nation's status as a regional and global hub for such events, in line with UNWTO standards. Pololikashvili reaffirmed the organization's commitment to supporting Morocco with expertise, knowledge, and technical assistance to ensure the success of these projects. On the sidelines of the meeting, Pololikashvili presented the English version of a promotional book titled «Tourism Doing Business - Investing in Morocco», aimed at showcasing investment opportunities in Morocco at international exhibitions and trade fairs. Plans are underway to translate the book into Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and French. Morocco, a member of the UNWTO Executive Board for 2022-2025, is also vying for a seat allocated to the Africa region on the Board for 2025-2029. This visit marks Pololikashvili's second meeting with Bourita, following their 2021 discussions in a post-COVID context. They shared a vision of leveraging tourism as a development driver while enhancing the industry's resilience against global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
