In the Souss-Massa region, 2024 will be a year of major projects, particularly for the tourism sector. On the menu, the launch of the component linked to the creation of tourist SMEs of the “Blue Economy” program or the establishment of an eco-label. In continuation of the action initiated by the regional development company (SDR) “Souss-Massa Support and reinforcement of SMEs” (SMART-Tourism), the 2024 financial year will be marked by the deployment of the support program for tourism SMEs as well as by the execution of the projects planned within the framework of the PDR and the tourism roadmap for 2026. Among the future projects also include the launch of the component linked to tourism. creation of tourist SMEs under the “Blue Economy” program, in addition to the establishment of an Ecolabel dedicated to tourist activities and services. Added to this is the training of human resources for tourism and hotel companies in the Souss-Massa region, the continued deployment of the networking solution and the marketing of regional SMEs. In terms of assessment of achievements during the year 2023, the Local Selection Commission (CLS) – established as part of the first call for projects of the Accompaniment and Support Program for Tourism SMEs – chose 99 projects for which it validated a support program by determining the investment amounts and the subsidy ceilings awarded. A forecast investment of 197 million dirhams The forecast investment (197 million dirhams) is accompanied by a subsidy of 38 million dirhams also including the support budget for 150 tourism SMEs by 2025. This budget envelope will contribute to the reduction of financial barriers to entry for entrepreneurs, mainly for the realization of animation and innovation projects in tourism. As a reminder, the projects selected as part of the program benefit from both technical and financial support and support. To this end, a first call for projects (AAP) was launched on January 10, 2023. Support and investment bonuses and subsidies ranging from 10% to 50% of the investment amount are planned as part of this support program. This call for projects attracted the interest of 1,190 candidates. As of March 30, 2023, the closing date of the AAP, 254 candidates were able to satisfy the administrative conditions required by the regulation. On June 19, 2023, SMART-Tourisme announced the results of the projects submitted to the CLS. The latter held several meetings (between May 9 and June 2, 2023) and processed 254 applications relating to the creation of new businesses and the transformation of existing businesses. Subsequently, the CLS approved the selection of the 99 aforementioned projects. The creation of a quality benchmark by sector With regard to the training component, SMART tourism proceeded, during the year 2023, to the creation of a quality benchmark by sector, thus offering a reference framework for excellence in the different tourism sectors. Additionally, training modules have been developed to provide targeted and effective training, complemented by the development of an accessible e-learning platform, allowing professionals engaged in the program to train at their own pace. To further support tourism stakeholders in their professional development, SMART tourism has designed 21 professional toolboxes, covering a wide range of skills specific to each field of activity, as well as 13 transversal toolboxes, intended to strengthen skills applicable in various professional contexts. Together, these resources form a comprehensive support ecosystem, aimed at raising quality standards in the tourism sector and fostering a culture of continuous improvement among professionals. A platform marketing and networking In addition, training workshops were prepared and delivered by S.M.A.R.T. Tourism in collaboration with professional associations. Also, training cycles, covering various tourism professions, have been developed and offered free of charge to active professionals throughout 2023. These training courses cover various subjects such as new trends in global tourism, the application of artificial intelligence in the tourism sector, the development of new tourism products, as well as practical workshops for different tourism professions. With a view to strengthening the distribution and marketing channels for products and services offered by tourism VSE-SMEs in the Souss-Massa region, the SDR TPMET SM launched an AAP for the establishment of a marketing and networking platform for these VSE-SMEs. Furthermore, the SDR TPMET SM crowned the year 2023 with the organization of the first edition of the S.M.A.R.T Tourism day which brought together more than 330 participants, with the signing of three conventions.
