Morocco is charting its roadmap to tourism excellence with the same richness and complexity as the itineraries it offers to its visitors. This path, much like the desert trails or the coastal roads lined with prickly pear cacti, is authentic, unpredictable, and ever-evolving. It is not just a technical plan; it is a living journey, woven with experiences and ambitions, where each step carries the imprint of its history and the promise of its future. Like its destinations, this roadmap does not follow straight lines; it thrives on detours, encounters, and unexpected discoveries.
Each region is a chapter, each city a metaphor. The South is a warm breath of air, heavy with sand and mystery. The North is a light breeze, fragrant with the Mediterranean. The Atlas Mountains form a strong backbone that guards the secrets of the ancients, while the fertile plains whisper the songs of harvests and culinary traditions. These landscapes are not just scenery—they are living stories, symbols of the cultural and geographic diversity Morocco aims to share with its visitors.
You don’t simply travel through Morocco—it travels through you. The silence of a starry night in Merzouga is not just an absence of noise; it is an invitation to listen to the things we can no longer hear in our busy lives. Standing before the vastness of the desert is a reminder that some journeys are not meant to be taken on paved roads but within oneself.
In my role as a digital strategy consultant, this challenge takes on a special meaning. My work lies in striking a delicate balance between modernity and authenticity, between the power of digital tools and the preservation of Morocco’s soul. The goal is to harness technology not to erase traditions or make them superficial, but to amplify them. To make a click become a gateway to the intangible, to turn technology into a bridge connecting the past to the present. The challenge is immense: to make visible what can only be felt, and to ensure that innovation serves the depth of our heritage.
It’s this quest for balance that often leads me to sit down with a restaurateur and imagine how their dish could become more than just a culinary experience. It becomes a VISA, an invitation to extend the journey beyond the plate and into the cooperatives of the countryside, the hidden terroirs, the women kneading bread using gestures passed down through generations. Behind every dish lies a network of stories, knowledge, and traditions waiting to be discovered. It’s not just a meal—it’s an itinerary. The tajine enjoyed in Marrakech should lead to the saffron fields of Taliouine, the olive groves of the Haouz plains, and the mountain dairies. If prosperity rains on a major destination, it must trickle down to its roots, irrigating villages and nourishing communities.
This is the vision of inclusive and responsible tourism, where iconic destinations like Marrakech, Fes, or Essaouira are not isolated islands but gateways to broader, lesser-known worlds. Here, digital technology becomes more than a promotional tool; it becomes the connecting thread between visible stars and hidden constellations. Every experience offered must extend the journey, leading travelers down secondary paths where they become active participants, witnesses to the richness of Moroccan landscapes and culture.
And 2025 will be a symbolic milestone for Morocco: hosting the African Cup of Nations, the continent’s grand gathering where the world’s eyes will be on our cities, our stadiums, and, more subtly, our tables. Beyond the sporting challenge, there is another final Morocco’s gastronomy must win: the one where we delight the palates of our guests, taking them far beyond the plate with every bite. This will be an extraordinary moment, where our flavors become messengers—from the citrus orchards of Berkane to the spices carried down from the mountains, all must sing the song of Morocco’s fullness.
Being part of this movement means embracing the complexity of the country while navigating between tradition and innovation. It is not just about setting itineraries but about understanding that each detour can reveal a surprise and that every encounter enriches the experience. In Safi, clay is shaped by hands steeped in millennia-old traditions. In Fes, leather is dyed in vats that carry the colors of history. In Chefchaouen, the morning light paints the blue alleys with a poetry that even the best photographers can’t fully capture.
But for all this to be possible, there needs to be vision. A vision that does not sacrifice authenticity in the name of modernity but reconciles the two. Preserving the souks, the kasbahs, and culinary traditions while offering modern and environmentally friendly infrastructure is a delicate balancing act. Every decision within this framework is a dialogue between past and future, between what must be preserved and what must be built.
This collective effort is enriched by the many voices contributing to it. The artisans of this roadmap, whether small producers or major operators, understand that excellence is not a final destination but a constantly evolving journey. The experience they craft is much like Morocco itself: rich, multi-layered, and deeply human.
And then there are the travelers. Those who arrive seeking breathtaking landscapes but leave with so much more. Morocco never reveals itself entirely at first glance. You have to get a little lost in it, sit in the shade of a palm tree at an oasis, taste bread baked in a traditional village oven, and listen to the stories of the elders. Only then does it reveal itself, piece by piece, like a treasure discovered gradually.
Morocco is not a place you simply visit—it’s a place you immerse yourself in. And this immersion is precisely what this roadmap aims to offer. Not a checklist of sights but itineraries that leave room for the unexpected, for encounters, for introspection. The desert, the mountains, and the medinas are not just stops along the way; they are revelations. What you find here goes beyond landscapes—it’s a part of yourself that you rediscover.
This is the lesson Morocco teaches to those who take the time to listen. That the true journey lies not in the destination but in how you choose to travel. That excellence is not a rigid goal but a living quest. And that the most beautiful itineraries, like Morocco’s roadmap, remain open to mystery.
Thank you to Imane Rmili, President of FNRT, for inviting me to take part in this strategic phase, where every itinerary drawn carries a breath of inspiration.
And thank you to the ONMT team, an essential partner in this journey where creativity meets impactful resonance.
PS: I have chosen this magnificent photo by Anouar Olh to illustrate three things: Hercules, his labors, and what lies ahead of us—not to separate continents as Hercules once did, but to welcome and unite them. To reimagine the world with the creative spirit of the Greek age and its myths. To remind us that Hercules and other legends chose Morocco as their home, inspiring us to welcome the imaginations of the world in the years and decades to come.
