Exploring the Tourism Potential of Fès-Meknès Region A Strategic Collaboration

Sunday 15 December 2024 - 14:39

Tourism professionals from Montpellier recently explored the vast potential of Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, with the aim of strengthening ties and boosting tourism between the two regions. The Regional Tourism Council (CRT) of Fès-Meknès hosted a workshop in Fès, gathering travel agents and industry professionals from Montpellier and its surroundings to discuss opportunities for promoting the region’s diverse attractions.

This engaging event facilitated valuable exchanges between tourism stakeholders from both regions, highlighting the rich and varied tourism potential of Fès-Meknès. French participants included 14 travel agents and a representative from the Montpellier airport. They were given a 48-hour program that featured visits to key destinations in Fès, Meknès, Volubilis, and the Moulay Yacoub thermal station.

Ahmed Sentissi, President of the CRT Fès-Meknès, underscored the strategic importance of this collaboration. He emphasized the role of such workshops in promoting Fès-Meknès as a destination to the French market, and in fostering sustainable partnerships with key industry players. Sentissi highlighted the CRT’s ongoing efforts to diversify the region’s tourism offerings, tailoring its promotional strategies to meet international market demands. The focus is on niche tourism segments such as cultural tourism, thermal tourism, ecotourism, and golf.

In line with a broader strategy to strengthen ties with France, the CRT has forged partnerships with five French airports, including Montpellier, aiming to enhance air connectivity and increase tourist flows. Sentissi expressed his ambition to position the Fès-Meknès region as a leading tourist destination not only in Morocco but across Africa, capitalizing on its cultural and historical wealth, diverse landscapes, and high-quality infrastructure.

Key tourism events, such as the CRT Golf Cup and the FITAM (International Tourism and Art Festival), were also mentioned as important contributors to the region’s growing visibility and attractiveness to both domestic and international tourists. These partnerships with French airports are vital for ensuring ease of access to the region and for supporting the growth of the tourism sector.

Thierry Vallon, a travel agency director from Montpellier with over 40 years of experience in international tourism, shared his enthusiasm about the Fès-Meknès region's tourism potential. He expressed surprise at the region's cultural and historical richness, as well as its safety and cleanliness. Vallon emphasized the need to further develop the region’s cultural tourism products to attract European clientele.

He announced plans to create two tailored tourist circuits (4 and 6 days) focused specifically on the Fès-Meknès region, in collaboration with airlines. Vallon also urged the CRT to continue its efforts in promoting the destination to the European market, reinforcing his belief that Fès-Meknès has all the attributes to become a leading cultural tourism hotspot.

This partnership marks a significant step in enhancing the region's position in the global tourism market, ensuring that the Fès-Meknès region remains a prominent and attractive destination for travelers around the world.