UNWTO Announces Finalists in Tourism Startup Competition

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) recently announced finalists for the highly anticipated Moroccan Tourism Startup Competition, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector.
MOUJA, The Surf and Watersports Guide for Morocco, and NAMA SOCIAL HUB, an event agency that specializes in organizing events for surfers in Imssouane, are the finalists in innovation in blue and green economies.
The two finalists in the trekking and hiking category are INTO THE WILD, a concept for new accommodation in national parks, and ANEGMA, a reservation site for unconventional housing in Morocco.
Other finalists in Deserts and Oasis travels are e UMNYA Morocco Experiences, an innovative eco-accommodation, and TERRE DES ETOILES, an atypical and original eco-accommodation.
For the preservation via cultural innovation category, the Moroccan street food idea MACHI MOUCHKIL and the mobile app ATAR for learning about cultural assets were shortlisted.
Finalists for innovation in urban tourism are PIKALA BIKES, an eco-friendly transportation concept that offers visitors an authentic experience to explore the city of Marrakech by bike, and MAROCULTOUR, an online booking service for cultural tours on an electric tricycle driven by Moroccan women.
Upon its launch in Nov. 2022, the competition received 135 applications from across the country.
Of the 135 firms, 60% are looking forward to attaining SDG17, which is centered on partnerships, and 54% are hoping to accomplish SDG8, with a focus on decent labor and economic growth.
“The Kingdom of Morocco is a true leader in tourism, with innovation being a crucial aspect in its rapid recovery from the impacts of the pandemic,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvil.
The partnership between UNWTO and the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development seeks to revitalize the tourism industry and establish a sustainable, eco-friendly framework for local communities.