Morocco is attempting to expand its presence in the worldwide surfing tourism sector, which is anticipated to be worth $3.1 billion in 2026, as part of its 2020 ambition to boost its overall tourism.
The kingdom is one of several places in the world using the rising popularity of surfing to entice tourists to its stunning surfing locations, particularly Taghazout and Agadir.
Several executives at local surf camps told Skift media that they still don’t feel like the Ministry of Tourism is supporting them enough.
Ismail Rady, co-founder of the Desert Surf Club based in Tamghart said “Sadly, the Ministry of Tourism is supporting Marrakech more and not Agadir or surf camps,” complaining from the fact that the government seems to be helping five-star hotels instead of small businesses who strive to survive.
The government generally works to support small businesses, but not surfers, the speaker continued, adding that many surfers want to build surf shops but find it challenging to get permits because it is extremely difficult for young entrepreneurs.
Out of 54 countries, Morocco was rated as one of the top 10 African surfing destinations in 2017. Numerous significant surfing competitions, notably the Rip Curl Pro Search Taghazout Bay in February, have been held here in recent years.
Shiraz Ksaiba, co-owner of Taghazout’s Amayour Surf and Yoga Camp, disagrees with Rady, believing that major hotels participating in surf tourism cater to a variety of vacationers and help draw more tourists to Morocco.
She told Skift media that “This increases the number of surfers in the region and benefits the surfing shops. It also helps the local trade.”
Morocco continues to be a surfer-friendly country for a variety of reasons, including visa requirements and ease of access.
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