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                                                                                                      Weekly highlights





          Tourism/roadmap: No more time to waste



          T     HE tourism roadmap is in the                                                                          tourists in 2026. By 2030, the goal is
                starting blocks. The next few
                                                                                                                      to reach 26 million tourists. In terms
                weeks will include the effec-
          tive launch of this action plan as well                                                                     of growth, the sector is expected
                                                                                                                      to achieve a rate of 35% between
          as the operationalization of the prio-                                                                      2019 and 2026. Beyond that, growth
          rity areas in the short and medium                                                                          should rise to 50% between 2026 and
          terms. The line ministry, the National                                                                      2030. The main levers of the roadmap
          Confederation of Tourism (CNT), the                                                                         revolve around “a new engineering
          Moroccan National Tourist Board                                                                             of the tourism offering in order to put
          (ONMT), the Moroccan Tourism                                                                                more emphasis on the customer expe-
          Engineering Corporation (SMIT),                                                                             rience”. Air transport is a centerpiece
          and the professional federations/as-                                                                        of the roadmap. “An offensive plan
          sociations have just kicked off Act 1                                                                       will be put in place for the develop-
          of a crosscutting and multidimensio-                                                                        ment of international and domestic air
          nal action plan. The roadmap comes                                                                          connectivity”, said the line ministry.
          timely within a recovery context.                                                                           In addition, the armed wing for the
          The goal is to position Morocco in                                                                          promotion of the sector, namely
          a new development momentum, to                                                                              ONMT,  is called upon to further
          modernize the tourism experience,                                                                           strengthen marketing and campaigns
          and to professionalize the ecosys-                                                                          with particular importance being
          tems as well as the ecosystem of     The attractiveness and stimulation of tourist investment are the driving forces fueling the revi-  given to digital and influence com-
          actors/operators. It must be said that   val of the competitiveness of the destination.                     munication. Obviously, the attracti-
          the context lends itself to this all-  thematic workshops between the  the Moroccan team during the World  veness and the stimulation of tourist
          out mobilization: More than 80% of   supervisory authorities and the pro- Cup in Qatar, international promotion  investment are the engines fueling the
          arrivals of tourists to Morocco as a   fessionals. In total, a hundred private  campaigns, the remobilization of pro- revival of the competitiveness of the
          destination have been recovered (at   operators were associated with the  fessionals, as well as the (economic)  destination. The challenge is to seize
          the end of November), and 112% of   reflection and the development of the  indicators in positive territory).  the opportunities offered by the new
          foreign currency travel receipts have   final version. Better still, the dyna- This is a virtuous circle heralding  context and meet the capital require-
          been collected, compared to the refe-  mics surrounding the new offensive  ambitious prospects in terms of arri- ments necessary for the restructuring,
          rence year (2019).                  for the promotion of the Morocco  vals, overnight stays, and revenues.  transformation, and diversification of
          The roadmap is the result of seve-  destination is unprecedented with  According to our sources, the road- the tourism value chain.o
          ral consultation sessions as well as   the advent of a new year, the feats of  map expects the arrival of 17 million                      A.R.


          Public procurements: No more paper filing!





           T    HE Ministry of Finance is mo-                                                                         set by decree No. 3577-15) are also
                                                                                                                      required to apply the provisions of the
                ving towards all-out digitaliza-
                tion in the field of public procu-
          rements. Submissions via the filing of                                                                      decree on digitization in accordance
                                                                                                                      with the decrees concerning, in par-
          large files will be something of a dis-                                                                     ticular, Order No. 1982-21 on digital
          tant past. A deadline has already been                                                                      procedures for the award of public
          set: August 2023. Public procurements                                                                       contracts and financial guarantees.
          will be fully digitized from the launch                                                                     Public agencies and state-owned
          of the call for tenders to the awarding                                                                     enterprises with their own informa-
          of contracts, including the deposit of                                                                      tion system dedicated to markets are
          financial guarantees and this, within                                                                       invited to apply the provisions of said
          the framework of Ministerial Order                                                                          decree pending the finalization and
          No. 1982/21 dated December 14, 2021                                                                         adoption of the reform in progress to
          relating to the digitalization of public                                                                    comply with the provisions of Article
          procurements and financial guarantees.                                                                      148 of Decree no. 2.12 .349. The note
          This piece of legislation is taken in   as well as to the General Managers and  for using electronic auctions, not to  from the Minister of Finance invites
          application of decree No. 2.20.801 of   directors of public agencies and state- mention the digitization of financial  state-owned enterprises to use the
          April 14 of the same year modifying   owned enterprises.                guarantees.                         www.marchespublics.gov.ma platform
          and supplementing the provisions of   As a reminder, the ministerial order  The digitalization of all public procu- during all stages of public procure-
          Article 148 of decree No. 2.12.349 and   defines the procedures for receiving  rement processes is part of the govern- ments. However, enterprises using an
          establishing the obligation to submit to   bids from competitors, opening bids,  ment’s digital transition strategy and  information system to manage elec-
          calls for tenders via the electronic pro-  and evaluating them electronically.  aims to improve governance, simplify  tronic bids can continue to use it, by
          cedure and gradually before its genera-  The piece of legislation also lays down  procedures, and strengthen transparen- making sure to digitalize the financial
          lization next August.               the procedure relating to the mainte- cy in the field of public procurements.  guarantees in consultation with the
          The Minister of Finance has just sent a   nance and operation of the database  Consequently, indicates the note from  Moroccan Bankers Trade Association
          note to this effect to the CEOs and pre-  of contractors, suppliers, and service  the Minister of Finance, public agen- (GPBM).o
          sidents of the territorial administration,   providers, as well as the conditions  cies and state-owned enterprises (list       Hassan EL ARIF
                                                                      Friday 13 January 2023
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