Tourism: Major Spanish hotel groups are strengthening their presence in Morocco

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And for good reason, Morocco presents itself as a stable destination, both from a political and social point of view compared to other countries in the region, it is argued, explaining that during the first 11 months of 2023, the country received 13.2 million tourists, exceeding the figures recorded for the whole of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, when it received 12.9 million travelers.

According to the Spanish media, these figures make Morocco a very attractive market in terms of investment, with growing growth potential for hotel companies.

Barceló is among these companies betting heavily on the Kingdom. The Majorcan group has eight hotels in six Moroccan cities (Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangier, Fez and Agadir) with more than 1,600 rooms and 1,200 direct jobs, and plans to launch new hotels, mainly 4 and 5 stars, adds- we.

According to El Pais, the last operation dates from last October, when the group announced an investment of more than 80 million euros for the acquisition and renovation of two five-star hotels in Casablanca and Rabat.

As for the Riu hotel chain, established in Morocco since 2002, it has two hotels and a Palace in Agadir, two other establishments in Marrakech and a hotel in Taghazout, notes the Spanish daily, noting that these six hotels are the fruit of a solid partnership that has lasted for more than 20 years.

Government commitment appreciated

For its part, Iberostar, the hotel chain which currently manages three hotels in Morocco, claims to have recorded very positive developments.

“We see even more growth potential thanks to an increase in demand, particularly from European markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany and France,” group officials explain to the newspaper. They also welcome the firm commitment of the Moroccan authorities to the development of the sector in the country, “with effective measures to encourage the tourism industry”.

For its part, Meliá, which owns a hotel in Marrakech, is counting on good performance for 2024. The Majorcan hotel chain, which is looking for new opportunities in the Kingdom, says it is studying several projects in order to grow further in the country, notes El País.

This strong presence of Spanish hotel groups in Morocco does not only concern large chains, but also smaller groups such as Inveravante, which owns five hotels in Tangier and Casablanca, concludes the daily.