Faced with the harmful consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the national tourism sector, a series of measures have been put in place to support operators in the sector, preserve the jobs that depend on it and ensure a rapid resumption of tourism activity in Morocco, according to the presentation note of the finance bill (PLF 2021). Here are the main points:
– The 2020-2022 program contract for the revival of the tourism sector
This program contract aims to give impetus to the tourism sector and breathe new life into its recovery and transformation, through three major objectives: Preserve the economic fabric and employment, accelerate the restart phase and lay the foundations for a sustainable transformation of the sector.
In terms of employment, the State undertakes to maintain, for the period from July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, the granting of a net monthly lump sum compensation of 2,000 dirhams in favor of employees and trainees under integration contracts declared to the CNSS in February 2020 and reporting to employers in difficulty affiliated to the CNSS whose activity is impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Covid-19.
These employees and trainees will also benefit, for the same period and in accordance with the regulations in force, from covering expenses relating to the compulsory health insurance plan and family allowances.
Employers in difficulty whose turnover has fallen by at least 25% for the month concerned in the period from July to December 2020 are eligible for this measure, compared to the turnover declared for the same month of 2019.
In terms of financial support, the tourism recovery plan has provided, in addition to the two financing products « Relance TPE » and « Damane Relance » implemented within the framework of the Economic Monitoring Committee, a new financing product « Damane revival hotelry », offering a guarantee varying between 80% and 90% for the benefit of tourist accommodation companies impacted by the crisis, for credits granted until December 31 2020.
– Supervision and support for tourism businesses:
In order to ensure a resumption of tourist activity, the State has put in place measures to strengthen aspects linked to health safety in tourist businesses, through:
– Raising awareness among tourist operators around the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior as well as the dissemination of the collections developed by the CGEM, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Professional Integration.
– The publication and sharing of a collection of recommendations established on the basis of international best practices for tourism operators as of June 2, 2020 with all delegations and tourism trade federations.
– The development of an in-depth repository of health measures to be implemented in tourist accommodation establishments (reception, luggage storage, restaurant, rooms, kitchen, etc.).
In order to strengthen the capacities of tourism professionals, a digital support platform entitled “Tourisme Academy” has been set up to offer e-learning training and diagnostic and self-assessment tools on various themes. The year 2021 will see the continued implementation of these actions, in particular the development of new digital content for the “Tourisme Academy” platform.
– Continued diversification of the product portfolio:
The Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering (SMIT) continues, during the year 2020, to support the regions in the establishment of mechanisms to boost investment, aiming to accelerate the implementation of tourism projects with high added value and the development of new attractive tourism products.
To this end, new projects in partnership with the Regions, the studies of which have been carried out previously, have been initiated, namely the integrated program of tourist development of cultural and artisanal products in the Medinas (M’Dinti), the program of integrated development of rural and nature tourism in Morocco (Qariati), the project of renovation and improvement of the hotel park of Agadir and the program of development of the tourist zone of the city of Agadir and the improvement of its attractiveness as part of the implementation of the city of Agadir 2020-2024 program.
The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) plans to put in place an action plan with the objectives, on the one hand, of transforming this crisis into an opportunity and of quickly regaining market share from emitting countries, and on the other hand, of preserving the competitiveness of the Morocco destination in a context of reconquest of markets and increased competition post-crisis.
The relaxation of procedures for access to the national territory for professionals and foreign nationals, decided in September 2020, should encourage the start of the recovery of the sector in the short term while awaiting a complete and general resumption of the various tourist activities.
source: h24info.ma
