MOROCCO: Marrakech Digital Travel Market

Marrakech will host the first Annual “Marrakech Digital Travel Market” (MDTM), bringing together Tourism and Information Technology professionals to showcase E tourism, a new market for the tourism sector, from November 8 to 10.

The event is aimed at establishing a new platform for E-tourism, promoting digital tools, arranging meetings with experts and digital service providers and, in particular, setting up collaborations and partnerships between tourism and IT actors.

The event is being organized by Tourism Premium Consulting, in partnership with Paris Welcome City Lab, My African Start-Up and the Office for Economic Cooperation of the Mediterranean and the East (OCEMO).

It will be the first of its kind in Africa and will take place in Marrakech.

“It is legitimate that this event is organized in Marrakech, because the city has already welcomed more than 2.6 million tourists each year.

It is one of the most dynamic tourism cities in Africa,” said the even’s organizers.

The inaugural edition will feature the participation of 80 national and international exhibitors, including workshops presenting innovative solutions applied to tourism such as 3D screen, digital table, augmented reality, geolocations, mobility service robotics and trainings.

The agenda will enable tourism actors to become familiar with E-tourism technology including redesigning websites, gaining visibility, using developing a web 2.0 strategy, marketing online and managing e-reputation.

In a series of B2B meetings, the event will bring together tourism actors such as hotel chains, tour operators, transport and crafts.

IT actors including OTA, reservation systems, software, mobile applications and Big Data, from small-to-medium enterprises and start-ups will also be involved.

According to organizers, the MDTM aims to establish itself as a major annual event throughout Africa by providing for a platform for innovation and creativity and advocating for the values of E-tourism.

Le Marché Central, located in the old city of Casablanca, will be renovated and converted into a gourmet dining and a tourist area.

Directorate of Local Collectivities (DGCL) and the Regional Council of Casablanca-Settat region allocate MAD 15 millions to this project, which has been piloted by Casablanca Patrimoine, an organization for local social development.

The project’s main goal is to renovate Le Marché Central and turn it into a gourmet food market, meeting international standards, Casablanca Patrimoine said.

Financial supporters and Casablanca Patrimoine aim at renovating the space and turn it into an elegant marketplace without changing its original concept, it added.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

The building was constructed between 1918 and 1919 in the era of French protectorate in Morocco.

The market is encircled by Boulevard Mohamed V and Allal Ben Abdallah Street in Casablanca.

Casablanca Patrimoine also said that the project managers will take inspiration from international markets, including the San Miguel market in Madrid and Barcelona’s Boqueria.

Founded in 2015, Casablanca Patrimoine is currently working on several other projects, including the renovation of Casablanca’s ‘Sacré Coeur’ church and the ‘vélodrome’ stadium.