Launched last February by the Ministry of Tourism, Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, the “Go Siyaha” program has already generated great enthusiasm from players in the sector. It received 430 requests for funding and technical support.
Mobilizing a budget of 720 million DH, this system intends to support tourism businesses wishing to offer innovative entertainment products and support others in their transition to more sustainable and innovative practices. The deployment of this program, which aims to support 1,700 tourism businesses by 2026, is ensured by the Maroc PME Agency. “Go Siyaha” intends to encourage the creation of a new generation of activities and services that best meet the new expectations of both national and international tourists. But not only that, since it is also a question of encouraging investment in the tourism sector, in addition to consolidating the public-private partnership. To achieve this, the program offers 3 schemes offering investment bonuses of up to 40% and technical assistance financed up to 90%. For Zoubir Bouhoute, tourism expert, “the “Go Siyaha” program is part of an ambitious approach aimed at renewing the Moroccan tourism offer to attract a new generation of visitors, and I think it is a positive initiative and well aligned with sustainable development objectives.” He considers that by stimulating investment in priority animation projects and supporting green growth, “this program shows a clear and integrated vision of tourism development. Investment support for start-up businesses or existing cooperatives, as well as the 30% subsidy for accommodation and catering projects linked to entertainment offers, 35% for entertainment and 40% for green growth are judicious measures to encourage innovation and diversity of the tourist offer,” he says. Comprehensive support However, Bouhoute believes that the proposed subsidies may not be enough on their own to guarantee the success of the projects. “The complexity of implementing these projects requires support in terms of advice and technical expertise, which, although planned for certain aspects, could be extended in a more systematic way to all beneficiary companies. The support provided by ANPME, covering up to 90% of costs for key areas such as financial strategy and digital transformation, is a major asset. However, similar support for investments in accommodation and catering with entertainment would be beneficial to maximize the chances of success of the projects,” he adds. And to specify that “for companies currently being created, support in terms of advice and technical expertise is very important. The program, by offering substantial support for tourism activities and green growth projects, could further improve its effects by guaranteeing complete support from the initial phases of business creation. Focus areas such as operational excellence, market development and digital transformation are essential for the long-term viability of new projects and must be strengthened. Predominance of digital transformation Furthermore, among the requests received so far, 215, or 50%, relate to technical assistance, with a predominance for digital transformation which records 136 requests, while 80 requests relate to operational excellence and 50 to market development. In terms of support for investments, 133 requests were submitted, including more than ten cooperatives in the region. animation, around forty animation projects in general and more than 70 accommodation projects backed by an animation offer. In addition, 84 requests for support for green growth were recorded, mainly for photovoltaic and water saving initiatives, notably in Marrakech, Casablanca, Souss-Massa and Fez-Meknes. “The receipt of 430 applications in 4 months for the “Go Siyaha” program indicates a marked interest from tourism businesses, thus demonstrating the responsiveness of the sector to this initiative as well as the relevance of the aid offered. These requests, representing around 25% of the total objective of supporting 1,700 companies by 2026, show progression aligned with the program’s initial forecasts. Awareness campaigns across Morocco are essential to increase the visibility of the program and inform more businesses about the opportunities available, which is expected to increase the number of applications in the future,” explains Bouhoute. First promising signs According to this tourism expert, the involvement of officials from the Ministry of Tourism, the National Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (ANPME) and regional professional organizations is decisive in encouraging project leaders to submit their files. “Their ability to communicate the benefits of the program is a key success factor. If the initial results of the 430 applications are positive, this will strengthen the credibility of the program and encourage other companies to participate. The “Go Siyaha” program is on track, with promising first signs. At this pace, with continued stakeholder involvement and tangible results, we can expect a significant increase in applications, thus aligning the program with its objectives of support and green growth for the Moroccan tourism sector by 2026,” he hopes. With the aim of raising awareness among local stakeholders of the opportunities offered by “Go Siyaha”, information sessions have been organized since the launch of the program. And this, through caravans deployed across the four corners of the Kingdom, totaling more than 50 events. These initiatives are carried out in collaboration with regional tourism delegations, regional professional federations, regional tourism councils (CRT), regional investment centers (CRI) and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM).
