UNWTO and Morocco join forces to support 10,000 tourism MSMES go digital

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
UNWTO and Morocco join forces to support 10,000 tourism MSMES go digitalThe joint action plan, developed alongside the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, was announced at the start of a special Thematic Session on “SMEs and Talent: Transforming Tourism”

UNWTO is stepping up its commitment to making Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises agents of transformation for the tourism sector.

Against the backdrop of its Executive Council in Marrakesh, the United Nations specialized agency outlined plans to support 10,000 Moroccan MSMEs to benefit from digitalization. The joint action plan, developed alongside the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, was announced at the start of a special Thematic Session on “SMEs and Talent: Transforming Tourism”.

Small businesses ‘tourism’s backbone’
 “Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are the backbone of the global tourism sector”, said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, welcoming the cooperation agreement. These “were hit hardest of all by the pandemic”, he added. “With the right support, they can grow to become true agents of change and help build a more inclusive and sustainable sector. UNWTO is proud to be supporting thousands of small businesses, in Morocco and across the world, make the shift to digital and so become more innovative and competitive.”

The Thematic Session brought together leaders from the public sector, including Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism for Morocco, Siandou Fofana, Minister of Tourism for Côte d'Ivoire, and Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye. Joining them for panel discussions focused on nurturing human capital and empowering small businesses were private sector leaders from Radisson Hotel Group, Mastercard, Spain’s tourism promotion agency Tourespaña, Eloha, Livali Europe, Pikala, Hosco, and Les Roches Global. Also providing insights were tourism leaders representing the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development, the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, as well as the International Labor Organization.

UNWTO Digital Futures Programme
The commitment to supporting Moroccan MSMEs represents the first pilot project of the UNWTO Digital Futures Programme to be launched in Africa. In Morocco, small enterprises account for around 98% of all tourism businesses and UNWTO has identified the country as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. Overall, the Digital Futures Programme aims to reach 2 million SMEs globally, giving them support to make the shift to digitalization, including through tailored training and mentorship initiatives with key big tech partners. 

Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism for Morocco, said: “SMEs hold strategic importance as a major lever for social-economic development in our country. Therefore, supporting SMEs is a key priority for our country and a major element in the Kingdom’s development strategies.”

Also in Marrakesh, UNWTO announced plans to partner with the Ministry of Tourism to launch a National Startup Competition: “Invest in the development of Moroccan Tourism”, alongside advancing the creation of an enhanced innovation framework to support tech-driven businesses in the country.

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinationsGreek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

Tornos
  1. 21/03 23:17

    UNWTO organizes tourism statistics workshop for Asia and Pacific in Nepal

  2. 21/03 23:00

    Calilo Resort on Ios: A Greek hotel in the 11 most sustainable hotels in the world

  3. 21/03 22:21

    HRADF inks Igoumenitsa Port share purchase deal with Grimaldi-led joint venture

  4. 21/03 16:15

    Clocks to go forward in Greece one hour on Sunday

  5. 19/03 14:10

    UNWTO launches new Women in Tech startup competition across the Middle East

  6. 19/03 14:07

    Greek president attends memorial march for Thessaloniki Jews killed in Holocaust

  7. 19/03 09:14

    Greek Minister: Relaunching railway services key to restoring public's confidence

  8. 18/03 14:07

    FM launches official campaign of Greek candidacy for UN Security Council

  9. 18/03 13:37

    Piraeus Port shows 51.7% profit hike during 2022

  10. 18/03 13:28

    Greek Tourism Minister forecasts that 2023 will be a very strong year for sector

  11. 18/03 09:02

    Greek Minister meets visiting Israeli minister of science and technology in Athens

  12. 17/03 23:10

    Passenger traffic rises in Greek ports but cargo drops in Q3 2022

  13. 17/03 16:09

    Study: Mediterranean diet reduces risk of dementia

  14. 17/03 15:04

    China and Greece join forces to create mutual learning model between cultures

  15. 17/03 12:14

    Τhe new minimum wage set by Greek government at 780 euros as of April 1

  16. 16/03 21:37

    Walk against discrimination 2023 to take place at Syntagma Square on March 21

  17. 16/03 19:30

    Central Athens road traffic restored after rallies and transport strikes

  18. 16/03 19:12

    Athens Half-Marathon to affect traffic in and around downtown Athens on Sunday

  19. 16/03 14:17

    Greek state budget recorded primary surplus of 4.201 billion euros in Jan-Feb

  20. 16/03 14:12

    FinMin: Greek banks able to absorb any turbulence from global markets

  21. 16/03 14:03

    IATA and Afroport Mauritanie ink agreement on ground handling safety

  22. 16/03 13:07

    Heavy rain and storms in Greece from Thursday to Saturday

  23. 15/03 13:59

    Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino opens this summer in Peloponnese of Greece

  24. 14/03 23:09

    Greek mining enterprises planning to invest 300-400 million euros in 2023

  25. 14/03 20:41

    Public transportation in Athens halted partially by 24-hour strike on Thursday

  26. 14/03 20:19

    Greek trains to restart operation gradually after March 22

  27. 14/03 19:15

    Nominations open for 2023 IATA Diversity and Inclusion Awards in aviation

  28. 14/03 19:02

    Health Minister: Greece lifting Covid measures with some exceptions

  29. 14/03 18:52

    UNWTO Best Tourism Villages ceremony focused on tourism for rural development

  30. 14/03 17:33

    Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air cancel all flights in Greece on Thursday

  31. 14/03 13:06

    7th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum in Thessaloniki on April 25-26

  32. 14/03 12:11

    Hellenic Train: Buses to transport passengers for free on certain routes from March 15

  33. 14/03 12:00

    Thessaloniki Urban Transport employees annunce 24-hour strike on March 16

  34. 14/03 00:10

    Hellenic College - Holy Cross full accreditation reaffirmed by NECHE

  35. 13/03 23:23

    75th Anniversary of Dodecanese unification marked on March 12 in Astoria

  36. 13/03 22:33

    Greek Transport Minister and railway unions meet on safe restart of train services

  37. 13/03 19:18

    UK’s Prime Minister rules out return of Parthenon Marbles to Greece

  38. 13/03 16:49

    Hellenic Republic President: Cyprus top national priority of Greek foreign policy

  39. 12/03 14:23

    British Museum head on solving 200-year-old dispute with Elgin Marbles

  40. 12/03 14:20

    Greek unions call 24-hour national strike on Thursday over Tempi train crash

  41. 12/03 14:05

    Summer tourism season kicks off in Greek island of Rhodes earlier than ever

  42. 12/03 13:11

    Athens metro stations closed as protest rally is held over Tempi train collision

  43. 11/03 21:05

    UNWTO at ITB Berlin: Setting priorities for tourism sector

  44. 11/03 19:05

    UNWTO marks Best Tourism Villages ceremony in AlUla of Saudi Arabia

  45. 11/03 17:15

    Huawei VP CEE & Nordic Europe Region: Greece is a valuable market

  46. 11/03 13:27

    UNWTO report on methodologies and tools to measure greenhouse gas emissions

  47. 11/03 12:58

    GWTO head: Greece among most promising emerging wine tourism destinations

  48. 11/03 10:13

    New Cyprus President to visit the Greek capital Athens on March 12-14

  49. 11/03 09:48

    Hellenic Statistical Authority: Greek trade deficit fell 21.9% in January

  50. 10/03 20:20

    Tourism's potential centered at LDCV, UN conference on least developed countries

  51. 10/03 19:24

    Panhellenic Exporters Association: High Greek exports growth to continue

  52. 10/03 18:33

    Construction commences on 'Giannis Antetokounmpo' BB court in Ghana

  53. 10/03 11:12

    SKY Express offers free flights for Athens-Thessaloniki students

  54. 09/03 23:09

    UNWTO and Saudi Arabia join forces to promote education and training in tourism

  55. 09/03 21:46

    IATA: Passenger demand stays strong in January

  56. 09/03 20:20

    UNWTO: New report to support climate action in the tourism industry

  57. 09/03 13:45

    Natural gas prices for households in Athens dropped 23% during February

  58. 09/03 02:13

    Feminist organizations rally in downtown Athens for International Women's Day

  59. 09/03 00:18

    The UK’s National Theatre staging Homer’s epic Odyssey across England

  60. 08/03 23:29

    Greek GDP rose 5.9% in 2022

  61. 08/03 22:37

    International Air Transport Association releases 2022 airline safety performance

  62. 08/03 22:06

    Railroad employees to continue strike action in Greece through Friday

  63. 08/03 20:47

    Archbishop of Greece meets with visiting Pakistani Shia Muslim leader in Athens

  64. 08/03 20:36

    SNF Institute for Infectious Disease Research founded at Rockefeller University

  65. 08/03 18:53

    Europarliament's Civil Liberties Committee completes two-day visit to Athens

  66. 08/03 17:01

    UN World Tourism Organization: Women take "centre stage"in sector development

  67. 08/03 00:46

    EU officials to discuss railway safety and modernization in Athens on Wednesday

  68. 08/03 00:13

    IATA: Air cargo makes a soft start to 2023

  69. 07/03 22:29

    Greek PM asks shipping minister to increase security on ships ahead of Easter

  70. 07/03 21:25

    Athens mass transport to operate on limited schedule during Wednesday's strike

  71. 07/03 20:39

    Founder of company renovating Athens’ Archaeological Museum wins ‘Architecture Nobel ’

  72. 07/03 20:28

    IATA: Disjointed EU PLACI roll out risks customs clearance delays

  73. 07/03 19:42

    Three Athens Parthenon fragments returned to Greece at Vatican ceremony

  74. 07/03 16:20

    Media: ‘Modern Elgin’ arrested trying to steal pieces of Athens Acropolis

  75. 07/03 14:16

    UNWTO marks official opening of ITB Berlin

  76. 06/03 22:47

    Hellenic Cables and IPTO ink deal on Lavrio-Serifos and Serifos-Milos interconnection

  77. 06/03 22:06

    Melina Mercouri exhibition organized at Elefsina, European Capital of Culture

  78. 06/03 20:38

    Lamda Development signs deal with TEMES for joint development of hotels in Ellinikon

  79. 06/03 18:24

    24 hour general strike to affect transport across Greece on Wednesday March 8

  80. 06/03 17:43

    IATA slams disjointed EU PLACI roll out risks customs clearance delays

  81. 06/03 16:02

    AHEPA honored at Hartforf and visits UConn’s Hellenic Studies Center Paideia

  82. 06/03 15:51

    European Union promises to modernise Greece's railways and improve safety

  83. 05/03 23:59

    Cyprus port of Paphos wins EU 2023 European Capital of Smart tourism competition

  84. 05/03 15:54

    Tripadvisor: These are the two Greek beaches among the World’s top-25

  85. 05/03 15:47

    Associated Press report: Nations reach accord to protect marine life on high seas

  86. 05/03 15:43

    Athens metro and train strike on Sunday

  87. 05/03 15:40

    Moving concert tribute to legendary Greek composer Manos Hatzidakis in Astoria

  88. 05/03 15:35

    Violent demonstrations and incidents in central Athens square of Syntagma

  89. 04/03 23:35

    Global aviation challenges mandatory flight reductions at Schiphol Airport

  90. 04/03 23:34

    New Minister of Agriculture calls for hard work in face of challenges in Cyprus

  91. 04/03 18:28

    Strike to affect Athens metro lines 1, 2, and 3 on Sunday

  92. 04/03 11:54

    Managing operator STASY responds to charges on Athens tram safety

  93. 03/03 23:19

    British King and US President offer condolences to Greece after rail disaster

  94. 03/03 02:24

    Hellenic Train and TrainOSE staff announces another 24-hour strike on Friday

  95. 03/03 02:16

    Greek PM announces investigation committee of experts into Tempi train crash

  96. 02/03 23:19

    Online tool for property sales through digital system for notaries in Greece

  97. 02/03 18:12

    Slight hike in Covid-19 and flu infections in Greece between February 20-26

  98. 02/03 15:29

    Eurostat report: Greek inflation rate dropped to 6.5% in February

  99. 02/03 01:17

    Greece declares three-day mourning period after its worst train disaster

  100. 01/03 23:56

    Greek Tourism Minister appears optimistic for next season