Morocco and UN Tourism made a big move on Tuesday by signing a historic deal to set up the first thematic office of its kind in Africa, right in Rabat. This office is all about boosting innovation and investment in tourism throughout the continent.

The agreement was inked in Marrakech by Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor and UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

As part of the deal, the office will roll out creative initiatives to energize Africa’s tourism scene, including training sessions and workshops for both public and private players from member countries.

Plus, it will host tourism innovation conferences, forums, and competitions for startups across the continent.

“The choice of Morocco as the first thematic office for Africa confirms the Kingdom’s continental leadership in tourism development,” said Minister Ammor.

She added that the office will support UN Tourism’s 2030 agenda for Africa, making the sector “a vector of development in the continent in accordance with King Mohammed VI’s vision for joint African action.”

Pololikashvili highlighted the office's commitment to fostering decentralized communication and collaboration with partners, especially those within UN Tourism, while also supporting the socioeconomic growth of tourism destinations across Africa.

This announcement coincides with the release of a new report by UN Tourism that showcases Morocco's tourism successes.

Entitled “Tourism Doing Business – Investing in Morocco,” the report indicates that Morocco attracted 17.4 million international visitors in 2024, marking a 35% increase compared to 2019, with tourism revenues reaching $10.5 billion in 2023.

On Monday, Pololikashvili also engaged with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita to discuss enhancing the collaboration between Morocco and UN Tourism.

During their discussion, Bourita pointed out forthcoming events, such as the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, as significant opportunities to advance sustainable tourism initiatives.

Pololikashvili revealed intentions to translate their promotional publication on investment opportunities in Morocco into Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and French.

According to the report from UN Tourism, the tourism sector's contribution to Morocco's GDP rose from 3.7% in 2020 to 7.3% in 2023, with the nation attracting $2.2 billion in foreign direct investment in tourism from 2014 to 2023.