The Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) renewed its partnerships with key partners, including Chinese travel giant CTrip, and teamed up with two of the Guangzhou & Shenzhen region’s leading tour operators–JZL and NiceTour–during ITB China, the largest exclusive trade show for the Chinese travel market, held from May 27 to 29 in Shanghai.
The ONMT, which was accompanied by a a large delegation of Moroccan operators, met Chinese tourism operators in Shanghai, at ITB China, the largest exclusive trade show for the Chinese travel market.
The office announced that several other partnerships with major tour operators in the Beijing region, notably CYTS, CTG, and HCG, are under discussion, adding that Moroccan operators, travel agents, and hoteliers, supported by the ONMT, have initiated contacts with their Chinese counterparts to lay the groundwork for fruitful commercial cooperation.
On Wednesday, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita also met his Chinese peer Wang Yi. The ministers discussed positive bilateral relations, mainly tourism. They noted that Chinese tourism has increased in Morocco since the King’s decision to lift visa restrictions for Chinese citizens on June 1, 2016. The move has significantly enhanced cultural and human connections between the two nations.
The Chinese market is expanding rapidly and has incredible growth opportunities, as the ONMT seeks to welcome about 500,000 Chinese tourists annually through its strategy “Light In Action.”
To increase Chinese visitors’ interest in Morocco, the ONMT also plans to conduct marketing campaigns, educational tours, and promotional activities.
China is the world’s largest tourist destination, with over 1.4 billion people living there, 150 million of whom travel abroad annually.
As such, it holds a significant potential market for Moroccan tourism and is a key target market for the ONMT’s “Light In Action” strategy, according to the Office.
ITB China 2024, held under the theme “Thriving in Transformation, Reaching New Heights Together,” brought together over 800 exhibitors from over 80 countries. For the ONMT, this theme “reflects the importance of adaptability and innovation in the travel industry, as well as the enormous untapped potential of the Chinese tourism market.”