São Paulo – The Moroccan National Tourism Office (MNTO) launched its new tourism campaign this Thursday (23). The event took place in the capital of São Paulo and pointed to Brazil as one of the countries on which the strategy will focus. With the motto ‘Morocco – Kingdom of Light,’ the country seeks to leverage its tourism sector, which was affected by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the MNTO, the sector accounts for 10% of Moroccan GDP.
In 2019, the number of Brazilian visitors to Morocco was 47,113 people. The goal is for this amount to reach 120,000 Brazilians, said Khalid Mimi, MNTO director for Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. “If we invest in marketing and media experience, we could grow a lot,” Mimi said in his presentation.
Also at the launch, the ambassador of Morocco to Brazil, Nabil Adghoghi, opened the event. “It is a pleasure to meet Brazilians who have been to Morocco and discovered an open and tolerant country, proud of its history, architecture, and design,” he said.
In an interview with ANBA, Adghoghi also talked about choosing Brazil among the target markets for this international campaign. “It is a post-pandemic initiative Moroccan tourism is launching. We want to attract more Brazilians because a visa is not required for them to travel there and for us to come here,” said the diplomat.
Digital marketing and gastronomy
To better understand tourist behavior, Moroccans invested in research. Siham Fettouhi (opening picture), Marketing Director of the MNTO, explained the data revealed, for example, the activities most sought after by travelers today. One of the findings was that local food is one of the key factors when choosing a destination. “And we are one of the top three in the world in gastronomy. It is a cultural factor, and Morocco has a lot to offer,” said Fettouhi.
In addition to understanding which activities to bolster, Moroccans also assessed the best means and tools to leverage tourism. Within this scope, the marketing director confirmed the importance of digital media and influencers, who are already part of Morocco’s global tourism investment plan.
“We are planning different things for the Brazilian market regarding sales and marketing. And, of course, working with influencers. We have some ideas, but we are still looking for partnerships to build and continue our work in social media,” Fettouhi told ANBA.
The event had the participation of representatives from tourism agencies, press, authorities, and executives. Among them was the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) secretary-general, Tamer Mansour.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
