Presentation

Presentation file relating to accommodation

Hotel trade in Morocco meets qualitatively the requirements of both foreign tourists and Moroccan nationals. At present, much efforts have been made by Tourism Department in order to get the demand for accommodation to adapt to each category of tourists and to make hotel operators more aware of the constant improvement of the quality of their facilities, and that is thanks to the encouragement given by the State to finance renovation projects through the renovation fund called "Rénovotel".

As far as regulations are concerned and in order to accompany the transformation of hotel trade in Morocco, a new legal framework was put in place in 2002 (Law 61-00 laying down the regulations of the tourist establishments and implementation Decree of the aforementioned law, promulgated in 2002 and the new norms of classification promulgated in 2003).

This readjustment of texts which aims at the cleaning up of tourist environment, has turned out to be necessary so as :
   To have a healthy and competitive hotel trade;
   To make the classification credible towards the Tour Operators who market Moroccan product;
   To maintain a regular quality of services by including the "Quality" approach as an integral part of tourist      activities.

New accommodation options have been introduced within the framework of this law, with a view to diversifying the offer and providing the customers with a wide range of choices in the field of accommodation (guests houses, self-catering cottages etc.).

Concerning Tourism Department, the qualitative and quantitative growth of the total number of national hotel units depends, to a large extent, on the efforts made by the managers of tourist establishments to improve the quality of various services at the level of their units, and that is all thanks to the strict respect of the norms and procedures in force, so as to let them maintain their dynamics in a competitive environment.

I) CLASSIFICATION OF TOURIST ESTABLISHMENTS
The classification of tourist establishments consists of two essential stages :

   The technical classification which is also called the provisional classification;
   The classification of exploitation which is said to be definitive.

1) The provisional classification (upstream) : In accordance with article 5 of the Law 61-00, the technical classification is pronounced by the Wali of the region before or at the same time as the planning permission, after the recommendation of a consultative committee called "Technical Committee of Coordination of Tourist Projects", presided over by the "Tourism Delegate". The principal mission of this committee is to study the architectural plans entrusted to it by the developer in accordance with the normative provisions in force.

Any project of construction, transformation or extension must be the subject of a provisional technical classification, according to the procedures fixed through the regulations (article 4 of the Law 61-00).

This Committee is composed of :

   The tourism delegate, president;
   The representative of the Wali (designated by the latter)
   A representative of the governor of the prefecture /province within the area of which the project is located;
   The director of the urban agency or the town planning inspector when the region does not have any urban      agency;
   The representative of civil defence;
   The president of the Regional Association of Hotel Industry within the area in which the project is located.

Any person who may be useful to this Committee can adhere to it, on a consultative basis.

The technical provisional classification is pronounced within one month at the most, with effect from the date of the registration file of the project at the Regional Center of Investments (CRI) or directly at the Tourism Delegation concerned.  

This file consists of :

    An application specifying the identity of the proprietor;
    A descriptive note of the project indicating its financial, commercial and land characteristics;
    "A plan" of the draft.

2) The classification of exploitation (downstream) : This classification is pronounced by the Wali of the region after the announcement of a committee called " the Regional Committee of Classification" presided over by the Tourism Delegate. The classification of exploitation or definitive occurs after the operating stage of the establishment.

The applications concerning the exploitation-classification are submitted to the tourism Delegate, by registered post, with an acknowledgement of receipt. They may also be submitted to him (against a discharge), two months before the date of the opening of the establishment.

The Regional Committee of Classification is made up of :

  The Regional Delegate of Tourism, president;
  The head of Economic and Social Section of the prefecture / province within the area in which the establishment      is located;
  The head of hygiene department or, failing that, the senior consultant of medical services of the prefecture/      province within the area in which the establishment is located;
   A representative of the civil defence;
   The Director of the hotel institute which comes under Tourism Department or, failing that, a representative of the Department of Training and Cooperation for Tourism Department);
   The president of the Regional Association of Hotel Industry;
   The president of the Regional Association of Travel Agencies ;
   The president of the Regional Association of Restaurant owners.

The Committee may call for, on a consultative basis, experts in the building trade and technical installations of tourist establishments

II) THE APPEAL :
An appeal may be brought to the governmental authority in charge of tourism which may pronounce on the classification after the opinion of a committee called the "Regional Committee of Classification".

The latter is made up of :

   The managing director of the ONMT, president;
   The Director of Enterprises and Tourist Activities (at the Tourism Department) in charge of tourism, vice chairman who replaces the president in case of absence or unforeseen difficulties;
   The head of the Coordination of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Interior or his representative;
   The head of the Department of Tourist Establishments at the Ministry in charge of tourism;
   The president of the National Federation of Hotel Industry or his representative;
   The president of the National Federation of Travel Agencies or his representative;
   The president of the National Federation of Restaurant owners or his representative.

The Committee may call for, on a consultative basis, experts in the building trade and technical installations of tourist establishments. The members of the committee may also move around (in the workplace) for further information.