Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed, on Thursday in Marrakech, a memorandum of understanding (MoU), aiming at strengthening cooperation in the tourism sector and harmonizing efforts to achieve a sustainable development of the tourism industry in both countries.
Signed by Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor and Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, on the sidelines of the 117th Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the agreement will provide a framework for the exchange of expertise in tourism, the identification of investment opportunities as well as the development of human capital.
"This Memorandum of Understanding between Morocco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia illustrates a common vision between our two sister countries and marks a turning point in our cooperation in the tourism sector. It will give rise to more joint initiatives, sharing of experiences and best practices, and will allow both countries to promote their tourism sectors, and thus optimize their potential in this industry," said Ammor in a statement to the press, following the signing ceremony of this document.
"This agreement will help develop all avenues of cooperation in terms of promoting the tourism sector between the two countries," she added.
In a similar statement, Al-Khateeb said he was delighted to sign this agreement between the two brotherly countries, noting that this MoU covers several areas related to tourism.
"Saudi Arabia and Morocco share a common commitment to preserving their respective rich cultural heritages and natural sites, including the sea, mountains and desert, while putting young talent at the center of their development plans," he added.
"Sustainability is at the heart of Saudi Arabia's tourism ambitions and, by working with like-minded partners such as Morocco, we hope to strengthen the sector not only in the region but also globally, to make tourism more sustainable, inclusive and resilient for people and communities," he added.
Al-Khateeb stressed that "this agreement is likely to strengthen the historical and solid relations between the two brotherly countries and open new opportunities for cooperation in the field of exchange of expertise".
