Australia is “Very Important” to Morocco, says Senior Government Official, H.E. Omar Hilale

One of Morocco’s most distinguished and senior diplomats visited Sydney earlier this month during a multi country briefing with foreign ministers and senior government officials.

TravelMole was the only trade or consumer travel publication in Australia given the privilege of interviewing His Excellency Omar Hilale, Special Envoy and Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Accompanied by His Excellency Jaafar Hakim, Director of Asia, Oceanic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (a previous ambassador to South Korea), the primary purpose of Special Envoy Hilale’s visit was to meet members of the new Australian Government and the Shadow Ministry and to discuss matters of mutual interest between the two nations. 

Topics of particular interest included current developments at the United Nations about the question of the Western Sahara and bilateral trade as well as the opportunity for the two nations to become familiar with their respective aspirations on foreign policy in the international arena. 

“Tourism in Morocco is now booming because we have adopted a strategic plan over the past few years to encourage the tourist sector in Morocco,” said Envoy Hilale. 

The objective of Vision 2010 is to generate 10 million tourists by 2010.  By the end of 2007, Morocco had received 7.5 million tourists.

[Pictured: Pausing at Sydney Harbour following an Australia exclusive interview with TravelMole, H. E. Omar Hilale anticipates an increase in tourism arrivals from Australia.]

“We are already starting to prepare the new [tourism] strategy for 2020.  The new plan is to encourage tourist arrivals by building hotels, highways and the necessary infrastructure.  We already have many five star hotels built in the north [and in such places as] Marrakech, Agadir, Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira,” he said.

The new phenomenon is that many people from all over the world are settling in Morocco especially in the medinas (the older, often Arab parts) of major cities, he added.

Marrakech is not the only medina prized by foreigners.  We also have medinas in Rabat, the capital, as well as Essaouira, Fez and Casablanca.  There are a lot of requests to buy and renovate medina houses, he said.

There is a lot of investment in tourism infrastructure, especially from Gulf countries.  Billions of US dollars are being invested in projects especially in the North as well as in popular tourist centres like Marrakech and Agadir, he said. 

One of the biggest projects is in Rabat.  Already underway, the US$5 billion mega infrastructure project which extends from the city to the seaside will totally transform the capital when it’s completed next decade. 

Australian and New Zealand arrivals are around the 22,000 mark.  We hope to increase this number but we need to do more, he said. 

The Moroccan Tourism Minister in the late 1980s recognised the potential of the Australia/New Zealand market.  In 1987 he opened a representative office of the Moroccan National Tourist Office in Sydney which covers Australia, Pacific and Southern Asia and is attached to the Consulate General.

“The Moroccan National Office of Tourism is now reorganising, restructuring itself.  We are about to have a specific strategy for Asia and specially Australia and New Zealand because the kind of tourists who are coming to Morocco are what we might call the first class tourists,” said Envoy Hilale.

[Pictured: Back dropped by the High Atlas, superior golf courses in Marrakech now attract high yield tourists.]

“It’s people who come to Morocco to play golf, to discover the culture and civilisation and also who are ready to stay in five star hotels.  It’s not like the European tourist who is looking for [an] economy package,” he said. 

“The Australian, for example, is interested in our way of life, the heart of Morocco, our history.  Of course, we respect the other people who just come for our beaches, our sun, our mountains but the type of tourist who comes from Australia is interested in what we are first, the people, the country, the civilisation.”

“We consider them as a bridge between our two people, reducing the gap of the geographical distance.  We will focus on that and Insha’Allah [God willing] there is very big work to be done in the short future,” he said.

Responding to a question about increasing the size of and facilities at the Moroccan Tourist Office in Sydney, Envoy Hilale said, “It’s in our planning. We don’t know when it will be possible but it’s in the framework from the perspective of this strategy of 2020.” 

“Your market is very important and we will do what’s necessary to encourage people now that we have more facilities and more flights thanks to companies like Emirates and Ethihad,” he said.

Along with easier access Morocco is now promoting “new destinations” particular in the north.  Cities like Tangier, Chefchaouen as well as along the Mediterranean coast from Tangier to Nador are being included in more tourist itineraries. 

Another new destination is Essaouira where there is new airport.  Ouarzazate is also a new destination that Envoy Hilale feels will now develop because of better airport facilities.  

The southern deserts are also new destinations.  There is a lot of interest in adventure tourism …being in the desert but looking at the distant snow. This is a beautiful image that you won’t find anywhere else, he said.

Morocco has traditionally been a destination known for its cultural heritage and leisure opportunities.  A new market segment is cultural tourism in the mountainous areas. 

[Pictured: Morocco’s distinct cultural heritage is an especially strong lure for Australian visitors.]

“This segment is attracting more and more people who don’t like to go to hotels, who don’t like to remain in the city.”  They take time and walk in natural surroundings.  It’s real exoticism.  Such an experience gives people time to reflect, he said.

In response to a question about the Moroccan Sahara Province (the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara now administered by Morocco) Envoy Hilale provided a precise summary about a little visited expanse south of Morocco that is virtually unknown in Australia.

“Morocco took a decision to propose an initiative for autonomy of the [Western Sahara] region in response to a call made by the Security Council asking parties to make proposals. 

“Last year Morocco made a proposal calling for a large [degree of] autonomy of the Sahara region.  This proposal has been passed and encouraged and welcomed by a huge majority of the international community.  The Permanent Members of the Security Council also issued very positive declarations about that.  

“Thanks to this proposal, the Security Council and the Secretary General of the United Nations managed to organise the first direct negotiations between Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario (a group calling for independence).  We have already had three negotiation sessions.  The fourth one will take place next month. 

“It’s the beginning of a new process.  We are optimistic that there will be a chance to settle this problem.  The important thing for Morocco is to give a chance to the population of the Sahara to rule its local and internal affairs in the framework of Moroccan sovereignty and Moroccan territorial integrity. 

“The Security Council has praised this initiative by Morocco by qualifying it as a ‘serious and credible effort’.  For us these words represent a real recognition of the efforts made by Morocco and our credibility. 

“Now the project is on the table.  We don’t know how long time it will take for the negotiations.  This conflict has lasted for more than 33 years so we just have to be patient.”

“The Australian Government has been supporting the UN process negotiation and it will be supporting this [March 11 – 13] negotiation,” said Envoy Hilale. 

Meanwhile, the Sahara Province is slowly developing infrastructure for tourism.  The former Spanish administrative town of Laayoune – population 120,000 – is the first major centre reached after crossing the southern frontier of Morocco.

Basic but adequate accommodation located here is expected to be supplemented with more sophisticated facilities as investment gathers pace.

Dakhla, just north of the Tropic of Cancer, is 542 km south of Laayoune.  Fishing and surfing are appeals for some visitors.  Visiting the remnants of old Saharan caravan routes lures others venturing into one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world.

Exclusive Report by Thomas E. King, TravelMole’s Travel and Lifestyle Editor