Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy, inaugurated a new training hotel at the Specialized Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (ISTAHT) on Monday in Tangier.
The hotel, part of the Charaka program between the Ministry of Tourism and Millennium Challenge Corporation, will help enhance students’ practical training to meet international standards in hospitality.
The facility includes two suites, five guest rooms, a 150-seat restaurant, an auditorium, a teaching kitchen, and a practical bakery and pastry area.
Ammor highlighted that “developing tourism infrastructure requires highly skilled talent ready to support the growth of this area,” Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) reported. The minister noted that “the new facility provides trainees with modern equipment that meets top international standards, preparing them for the sector’s demands and helping them quickly enter the job market.”
The Director of ISTAHT Tangier, Mohamed Stitou, described the training hotel as a “cornerstone of hospitality education.” He highlighted the Institute’s ten training programs, with four at the Technician level and six at the Specialized Technician level, all equipped with advanced facilities.
Currently, the Institute boasts an impressive 86% job placement rate for its graduates, showcasing the quality and market relevance of its training.
In 2024, ISTAHT expanded its curriculum with six new programs that focus on various areas of hospitality, including restaurants, management, and luxury hospitality, among others.
The Director stated that the new programs have drawn strong interest, with 11,900 applications received for the 2024-2025 academic year, reflecting the growing appeal of careers in tourism and hospitality. “This expansion has also doubled ISTAHT’s capacity to 400 training seats for the 2024-2025 year.”
The Governor of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, Younes Tazi, the Regional Council President, Omar Moro, and several officials attended the inauguration ceremony.
Founded in 1966, ISTAHT Tangier is a leading vocational training institution in Morocco’s tourism and hospitality industry, known for its modern 250-bed dormitory, nationwide accessibility, 10-program curriculum, and state-of-the-art facilities, including the new training hotel.