Tourism Professionals Fair
“Together to dream!” Under this theme, the Casablanca Regional Association of Travel Agencies (AVC) is organizing its first Tourism Professionals Fair in Casablanca on June 9, 10, and 11. “This initiative is launched to contribute to the promotion of national tourism and support the program contract to highlight the expertise of travel professionals.
This first edition is primarily aimed at travel creators and all professionals in the sector to contribute to the growth and development of sustainable tourism,” said Othman Cherif, president of the AVC. More than 35 exhibitors, officials, and tourism professionals are expected at this event and will present products and services to numerous visitors.
Similarly, a wide range of nearby and distant destinations will be offered by national and international hotel chains, transporters, travel agencies, and public operators. “While waiting for the large national fair that everyone dreams of, we want our national tourism operators to meet in their country and not at fairs in Paris, Madrid, and elsewhere. We are targeting medium-sized operator groups, specialists in niche tourism,” adds Mr. Cherif. Regarding participation, candidates are already lining up, Air France and British Airways have announced their participation.
“The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) has clearly indicated that it will not participate in this fair. According to ONMT officials, the presence of foreign exhibitors who market their country’s destination is contrary to the office’s mission, which promotes Morocco. As for the Ministry of Tourism, they told us: “go ahead,” explains the organizers. For its part, the Casablanca Regional Tourism Council (CRT) intends to support this venture. “The AVC’s initiative, which aims to promote the city of Casablanca in particular, fills a gap. We will support it with our resources.
Similarly, and for those who don’t know, before the end of March, the Regional Tourism Development Plan for Casablanca will be signed between the State and the region,” explained a CRT official.
The organizers, who want to make this event primarily a fair for professionals, also wish for it to be a consumer event by encouraging new socio-professional categories to enjoy vacations. To do this, the AVC plans to approach companies and their human resources to encourage them to offer their staff not only televisions, ovens, and refrigerators, but also vacation vouchers.
Visitors may be surprised not to find a roundtable discussion area at this fair. But the organizers plan to organize a series of conferences in May on themes such as “Marketing and Vision 2010” or a forum dedicated to the issue of “Tourism and Media.” Finally, encouraged by the feedback this news has generated among professionals in the sector, the AVC has already set the date for the second edition of this fair, which will take place on June 15, 16, and 17, 2007.
Le Matin
March 7, 2006
