Since last summer, monthly tourist revenues in foreign currencies have stagnated or declined from month to month. Thus, the latest publication from the Foreign Exchange Office shows that the first two months of 2019 garnered 10.274 billion dirhams compared to 10.795 billion for the same period of 2018. According to its director Hassan Bouknadel, this drop of 4.8% is due to the decline in spending by foreign tourists. Lahcen Zelmat, president of the FNHM, confirms this explanation by citing the “All Inclusive” “virus” but also competition from AirBnB, the informal sector and guest houses.
How can we explain the increase in tourist arrivals and overnight stays which started in June 2018 and which paradoxically results in a drop in revenue?
Indeed, by dividing 2018 revenue by the number of visitors (12.288 million tourists for 73.15 billion dirhams in revenue), we obtain an average budget of 5,952 dirhams compared to nearly 6,200 dirhams in 2017 (11.34 million for 70 billion dirhams), or 4% less spending per tourist.
Thus, according to the latest indicators from the Foreign Exchange Office, this drop in spending per tourist continues, knowing that foreign currency revenue collected during the first two months of 2019 fell by 512 MDH, or nearly 5%.
Tourists who are more economical or choose AirBnB
Contacted by Médias24, the director of the Foreign Exchange Office explains that cumulative revenues for January and February 2019 have fallen because tourists are spending less than the previous year.
Asked whether the drop in revenue could be explained by competition from Airbnb accommodation, Hassan Bouknadel prefers not to comment but affirms that the turnover of rental companies who use this application is neither known nor counted by his office.
In other words, the growing activity of housing rental through the internet tool completely escapes its accountants as well as those of the Ministry of Tourism and the Moroccan tax authorities.
Knowing that according to AirBnB, 17,000 Moroccans rented an apartment, villa or room in 2017 and that its offers made it possible to accommodate 210,000 tourists in 2016, so at least 1 billion dirhams were not declared to the Moroccan authorities for 2016 alone.
When asked in turn, Lahcen Zelmat, who chairs the federation of Moroccan hoteliers, puts forward several explanations for the continued decline in travel receipts recorded by the Foreign Exchange Office.
Firstly, the president cites the growing competition from the digital offer of AirBnB but considers it less threatening than that of informal rentals, and especially « fashionable » guest houses.
« As a hotelier, we have not noticed any real change in consumption on the part of our foreign customers. On the other hand, it is obvious that more and more tourists are opting for AirBnB which is hurting us because this offer is neither listed nor imposed.
Ghost revenues in cash or deposited abroad
« To this competition is added that of the thousands of undeclared furnished apartments which are developing in Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier and whose rents are paid almost exclusively in cash.
« They not only cause a big loss of income for the State because their turnover escapes the balance sheet of travel receipts of the Foreign Exchange Office and the control of the tax authorities but also pose a security problem knowing that they are not listed by the Ministry of the Interior.
« The same goes for guest houses whose revenue is either collected in cash or in foreign currency through checks in euros or international credit cards. Knowing that the majority of riyads are run by foreigners, at least 80% of their turnover ends up on accounts in Europe », explains Zelmat who therefore estimates that billions of dirhams escape the balance sheet of the Foreign Exchange Office.
According to our interlocutor, the second explanation for the drop in revenue comes from what he calls the « virus » of « All Inclusive » hotel packages which are increasingly contaminating the major tourist centers.
« All Inclusive » formulas that weigh down the accounts
« This model which was created by Club Med was acceptable at the time knowing that its establishments were located about fifteen kilometers from urban centers.
« These packages combining accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner (most often unlimited and with alcohol) also offer craft products and activities. From there, guests no longer need to leave their hotel complex where everything is available.
« Knowing that these formulas are increasingly present within major destinations, they have transformed into a real killer virus which negatively impacts several activities such as that of restaurateurs, bazaar retailers or agencies offering excursion tours.
« All Inclusive is killing Agadir because these formulas which play on quantity are not only not lucrative but also bring back low-end tourists who spend almost nothing.
« For the moment, Marrakech is still spared but other seaside resorts like that of Saïdia have made this choice which is not at all promising in terms of travel revenue », concludes pessimistically the president who thinks that without control of the authorities and awareness of hoteliers, competition from AirBnB, the informal sector, guest houses and All Inclusive will continue to reduce the foreign exchange earnings of foreigners or MRE.
source: medias24.com
