| Evocative Morocco
Rich in Culture and Increasing Tourist Numbers |
With the strength
of the pound against the Euro still slipping and no sign yet of a turnaround
in its fortunes, many people are looking further afield in 2009 when booking
their holidays, with horizons widening outside of the Euro zone. One country
that is benefitting from this increasing trend is Morocco, a country keen
to grow its tourist market and one that is moving very much in the right
direction.
2001 saw Morocco’s King Mohammed VI lay down plans for a focus on
increasing tourism to the North African country, with ‘Vision 2010’
aiming to create 600,000 jobs in the industry and increase visitors from
2000’s figure of 4.5 million to a figure of 10 million tourists
in 2010. This was to be achieved through ‘Plan Azur’, a strategy
to build 6 new coastal resorts along with improving transport links and
building additional amenities including marinas and sporting facilities
to widen the appeal of this culturally resplendent country.
To date, ‘Vision 2010’ has attracted a large increase in visitors
to Morocco, with the Moroccan Department of Tourism announcing that numbers
of tourists to the country had grown by 6% in 2008 to 7.88 million, making
them on track to hit their 2010 target. This growth in foreign interest
in the country has also been shown in an increased demand for flights
to Morocco, with research from online measurement company Hitwise.com
revealing that searches for flights to Morocco increased by 2.1% in the
last year, one of only a limited number of countries to witness a growth.
Not only is Morocco witnessing tangible results from its ‘Vision
2010’ in terms of tourists, the country has also become a hot topic
of conversation amongst those in the property industry, with Propertywire.com
finding in their review of leading property forums that Morocco was one
of the most talked about destinations for those looking to buy property
abroad. And it’s not hard to see why. Not only is Morocco investing
in foreign interest in the country, as a property and holiday destination
it has much to offer – with its location close to Europe, rich history,
beautiful art and evocative culture amongst many other draws.
Growing in popularity with each year, Morocco is being recognised as one
of the hot emerging markets in which to invest and more and more people
are looking to buy property in the country, with John Howell of the International
Law Partnership, a well-recognised industry figure, amongst many others
ranking this destination in his Top Ten Investment Locations for 2009.
But where should one invest if they want to buy property in Morocco? The
six ‘Plan Azur’ resorts are being developed in coastal regions
– one on the Mediterranean Sea and five on the Atlantic –
and this is for distinct reasons of meeting demand. As Alisdair Luxmoore,
director of Fleewinter.com, points out it is these types of developments
that have the most potential,
"If you want a return on your investment, in terms of tourists coming
to stay in your place, then, wherever you are in the world, being by the
coast is an enormous help."
One of these developments is the Mediterrania-Saïdia, the first ‘Plan
Azur’ resort to be developed, within which Le Jardin de Fleur three
miles from Saïdia town offers a great deal of rental potential, with
facilities that are second to none including three 18-hole golf courses,
6km of unspoilt coastline, a 1,350 berth marina with a wide array of restaurants,
designer shops and bars.
This secure gated resort offers a variety of property options, from one
bedroom hotel suites (from £92,000) to a two bedroom beach apartment
(from £197,000) or a three bedroom frontline golf villa (from £213,000),
all finished to the highest of standards including furniture packs and
set in landscaped gardens, some with roof terraces or plunge pools.
The development will be operated by leading hotel groups, such as Radisson
and Best Western, which will allow owners to either have the option of
using their unit for personal use, when they can use concierge, spa and
hotel facilities, or to benefit from a lease-back programme organised
by these operators, tapping into their large client base, to truly exploit
its rental potential.
For more information contact Undiscovered Properties on 0870 734 7968
Back |
