Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social Economy Mohamed Boussaid of Morocco

Morocco's tourism and crafts minister Mohamed Boussaid said on January 29th that a record number of tourists visited in 2007.

Morocco's plan to welcome 10 million tourists in 2010 is on track, tourism and crafts minister Mohamed Boussaid said at a January 29th press briefing.

Mr Boussaid said he expected European travellers to choose locations closer to home given their budgetary constraints - but that Morocco was still well within reach.

Moroccan Minister of Tourism and Crafts Mohamed Boussaid said CAP 2009 will 'anticipate and limit the impact of' the global financial crisis on tourism.

Boussaid said Morocco expects the number of foreign vacationers to hit 7.

Speaking at the House of Representatives question-time, Boussaid said public administrations are studying means to fight the phenomenon of civil servants who get paid although constantly absent from work and do not fulfil their duties, which causes squandering of public funds and tarnishes the image of civil services.

Mr Boussaid has pointed out that the world tourist industry will be affected by the current financial crisis.

Mr Boussaid has pointed out that the tourist receipts have increased from 592 to 990 US dollars per tourist, while the volume of investment has increased four-fold, specifying that the Azur Plan has had a multiplier effect and it represents no more than 40% of the sector's accumulated investments at the level of the forecasts going up to 2014.

Mohamed Moroccan Tourism Minister Mohamed Boussaid said Euro-Mediterranean tourism represented about a third of world tourism trade in terms of visitor numbers.