In its latest opinion on the relaunch of national tourism, the Economic, Social and Environmental Council considered that the clarification of the responsibilities of operators and public bodies depends on a major legal overhaul. The activation of the Moroccan Charter for Sustainable Tourism also remains a prerequisite, in addition to the promotion of social dialogue.
Among the key recommendations made by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) in its opinion delivered at the start of the week on the relaunch of tourist activity is the development of a draft framework law for the sector. The proposal draws its legitimacy from the major findings that were identified by the Council in its report, particularly those relating to the governance aspect. Indeed, the problem posed by the consistency of the directions taken by stakeholders in the sector has become more acute since the outbreak of the health crisis.
Today, more than ever, the implementation of Vision 2030 seems almost impossible. By proposing the initiation of the framework law project, the CESE expects that the consultations that may result from it will help to unite all stakeholders around a clear strategy with precise responsibilities for operators and public bodies. Thus, in its report, the Council made this point one of the prerequisites for the revival of the sector, emphasizing the need for integrated and effective governance. To do this, the tourism framework law would clarify the responsibilities of operators, public institutions and the associative fabric and allow the overhaul of regulations having an impact on travel and tourism. For the EESC, the repositioning of the sector is at stake. The proposed framework law should “promote integrated strategic planning, involving a convergence of means and resources and monitoring-evaluation for the entire value chain, through the activation of the high tourism authority responsible for steering and monitoring-evaluation,” underlines the Council.
A new legal engineering
In addition to updating the legal framework for the sector, the CESE’s vision highlights the importance of establishing regional bodies in accordance with the current administrative division and ensuring better synergy between the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) and the Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company (SMIT). The framework law should above all provide investors with more information on the opportunities offered by the tourism sector, through “the review of the role and prerogatives of the Tourism Observatory by focusing on strategic monitoring as well as the modernization of the tourism satellite account and its keeping up to date”. The current context also requires amending the Moroccan Sustainable Tourism Charter, “by guaranteeing convergence between the responsibilities of stakeholders, the attractiveness of destinations and social cohesion”, insists the Council. This charter should align with the priorities of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda and national sustainable development strategies. On the other hand, the promotion of social dialogue in the sector is an equally crucial point to take into account in the framework law recommended by the EESC. This involves “giving priority to decent employment and the generalization of the social protection system for tourism workers and the protection of informal workers occupying precarious jobs”, as explained in the Council report. The legal roadmap, as recommended by the CESE, also focuses on the launch of a new generation of decrees which would be aligned with the competition requirements of external markets, based on strategic monitoring and technological innovation. “Standardization is a necessary element to support the national offer in its compliance with international market standards in terms of sustainability, convergence, health safety and quality,” specifies the CESE
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The regional challenge
An insistent call was made by the CESE to involve the Regional Councils in the plan to revive national tourism activity. “Advanced regionalization and the Devolution Charter constitute an opportunity to balance the development of tourism between territories and destinations,” indicates the Council, which recommends correlating national strategies for tourism, culture, crafts, youth and sport and sustainable development and ensuring their territorial application. The membership of the Regional Councils to achieve the objectives of the recovery plan will, in this context, have the scope of developing development plans for the different territories, in line with regional sustainable tourism strategies. Ultimately, it is about establishing a new vision for the promotion of national tourism, based on the specificities of the territories and the comparative advantages of the regions.
source: leseco.ma
