Analysis of tourism policy in a developing country: the case of Morocco

Abstract

The strong growth of mass tourism since 1950 has made this industry one of the most important in the world. Many national governments have thus implemented policies aimed at generating income from tourism. This research analyses the evolution of the Moroccan tourism policy and various development strategies carried out by the government over the last 60 years. Moroccan policy managed to position the country as the top tourist destination in Africa in 2014. This study assesses public policies to demonstrate the important role played by the state in this growth process. It analyses the main tourism plans implemented by the Moroccan government, and proposes a discussion around the current tourism development model linked to international investment.