Editing Economy of Morocco (section)

===Tourism===
{{Main|Tourism in Morocco}}
[[Image:Tangier 5184a.jpg|thumb|300px|A view of Tangier Bay at sunset as seen from the [[Malabata]] suburb.]]
Morocco is a major touristic destination. [[Tourism]] is thus a major contributor to both the [[economic output]] and the [[Current account (balance of payments)|current account balance]], as well as a main job provider. In 2008 8 million tourists have visited Morocco. Tourist receipts in 2007 totalled US$7,55 billion. Morocco has developed an ambitious strategy, dubbed "Vision 2010", aimed at attracting 10 million tourists by 2010. This strategy provides for creating 160,000 beds, thus bringing the national capacity to 230,000 beds. It also aims to create some 600,000 new jobs.

[[Marrakech]] continues to be the market leader, but the case of [[Fes, Morocco|Fez]], showing a 20% increase of visitors in 2004, gives hope that better organisation can bring results in diversifying the sector as a whole. Like other regions, Fez has its Centre Regional du Tourisme (CRT), a local tourism body which coordinates the local industry and the authorities. Fez's plan involves a substantial restructuring of the old city and an upgrading of hotel capacity. Improved transport has brought the city into more direct contact with potential visitors. There are now direct flights from [[France]], where previously it was necessary to change plane in [[Casablanca]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.allbusiness.com/africa/1035405-1.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090106201259/http://www.allbusiness.com/africa/1035405-1.html| archive-date = 2009-01-06| title = MOROCCO: Economy being hammered into shape {{!}} Africa > North Africa from AllBusiness.com}}</ref>

The "[[Plan Azur]]", is a large-scale project initiated by king [[Mohammed VI of Morocco|Mohammed VI]], is meant to internationalise Morocco. The plan provides for creating six coastal resorts for holiday-home owners and tourists: five on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic coast]] and one on the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. The plan also includes other large-scale development projects such as upgrading regional airports to attract budget airlines, and building new train and road links.

Thus, Morocco achieved an 11% rise in tourism in the first five months of 2008 compared with the same period last year, it said, adding that French visitors topped the list with 927,000 followed by Spaniards (587,000) and Britons (141,000).
Morocco, which is close to Europe, has a mix of culture and the exotic that makes it popular with Europeans buying holiday homes.<ref>http://www.map.ma/eng/sections/economy/development_efforts/view {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>