News 06.11.13 MARKETING SPEND
Morocco to make the UK a ‘priority’
THE UK is to receive the largest slice of the Morocco National Tourism Office’s annual budget for the first time in 2013, having overtaken France. Speaking at WTM, chief executive officer
Abderrafie Zouitene, who took up his new role three months ago having previously been chief operations officer at Royal Air Maroc, said the British market had now been identified as the priority. “The actual amount is still in discussion
but while France has previously had priority, it will be the UK in 2014,” he said. The British market will deliver 500,000
tourists in 2013, but the government hopes to achieve a million annual arrivals by 2016. A raft of new airlift from the UK includes
easyJet from Bristol to Marrakech; Monarch flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Agadir; Ryanair to Arabat; and Royal Air Maroc direct to Marrakech (launching December 24). British Airways has also increased frequency to Marrakech from daily to ten flights per week. “With air capacity up by 60% this winter,
we will see a double-digit increase from the UK market this winter alone,” said Zouitene. The tourist office will work more closely
with airlines on joint marketing campaigns in the UK. Golf, plus the meetings and incentive
market, are two areas of focus, with an action plan drawn up for both. The country already has 35 golf courses, but this is to increase to 50 by next year. “We aim to be in the top five destinations
in the world for golf,” Zouitene claimed. Other emerging niches include garden
tours, and visitors looking for greater cultural immersion.
‘Webcams will be proof of peace’
Patrick Whyte
EGYPT HAS installed five webcams for live streaming at popular tourist spots and plans to have up to 25 throughout the country’s resorts. Minister of tourism Hisham Zaazou
said they were being put in place to convince potential holidaymakers that the country is safe. “To prove to the world that you can
come to Egypt safely and securely and enjoy the destination, we have placed five cameras for instant live streams from our destinations. These cameras will go up to 25 [in] the various touristic spots in Egypt,” said Zaazou. The news comes as the minister revealed
that in October more than 18 countries have “softened or lifted” negative travel advice for Egypt. “Negative travel advisories are under- standable, however the perception is the issue,” said Zaazou. Currently the UK Foreign Office advises
against all but essential travel to most of the country with the exception of the Red Sea resort area. In the past Zaazou has said this is particularly damaging to both Luxor and Aswan, which are not covered by the exception. “I would thank Germany because it was
the first country that lifted the travel advisories for both the Red Sea and
Cameras will stream live from 25 tourist sites to “prove to the world you can come to Egypt safely and securely”, according to Egypt’s minister of tourism
Southern Sinai as well as for Luxor and Aswan, permitting business to come back again,” said Zaazou. “I want to tell you that four million
Egyptian people depend on… tourism. “I ask the Foreign Office to review again
their stand on Luxor and Aswan.” Egypt has suffered a decline in visitor
numbers in recent years as political unrest took its toll. In 2010 the country welcomed 14.7 million tourist but this fell to 9.8 million in 2011.
STRIP DEVELOPMENTS
Vegas hits it one more time with a new line-up
LAS VEGAS is continuing its tradition of attracting big names for residencies in the city, with both Britney Spears and Bruno Mars booked to appear in 2014. The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) expects both artists, who signed their deals in the last month, to appeal to its target 21-54 age group. Britney has been booked for a two-year
A TASTE OF JAPAN: Enjoying a treat at the Japan stand are, from left: Alastair Donnelly, Inside Japan Tours; Kylie Clark, Japan National Tourism Organisation; Edward Ellwood, Inside Japan Tours; and Tim Anderson, MasterChef UK winner 2011.
10 06.11.2013
residency at the Planet Hollywood Theatre, starting December 27, and Bruno will be playing a series of shows in the Chelsea Room, The Cosmopolitan’s new music venue, with his first show on December 29. Cathy Tull, senior vice-president of
Numbers rose to 11.5 million in 2012 and Zaazou is confident the business will return. The minister expects British holidaymakers
to help fuel this rise. In 2011 1.03 million visited Egypt. It fell to
1.01 million in 2012 and currently stands at 760,000 for the period between January and September this year. Zaazou said this figure was likely to reach one million by the end of 2013.
n Access the webcams at
egypt.travel
marketing, LVCVA, said: “From one end of the Strip to the other we have entertain- ment for all genres and age groups. For example, we’ve had Beyonce at one end of the Strip, and Andrea Bocelli at the other. It’s what makes Las Vegas great.” Next April sees the opening for a major
new development in Las Vegas, the Linq, which will comprise a pedestrian walkway lined with shops and restaurants, leading to the world’s tallest observation wheel. Visitors will approach the area between the Tropicana and Flamingo Hotels in the heart of The Strip. Tull said it was designed to offer a “community experience”. Las Vegas is also set to gain a 20,000-seat
sports and entertainment venue on the Strip, between the New York New York and Monte Carlo. It is being funded by MGM Resorts and AEG, and should be complete in 2016.
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