Marrakech – Morocco hosted the annual forum of SETO, France’s leading tour operators association, from March 25 to 27 in Tamuda Bay. The event brought together nearly 140 participants, including tour operator executives, industry experts, institutional representatives, and specialized journalists.
Achraf Fayda, head of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT), led the initiative as part of an offensive strategy targeting Morocco’s priority tourism markets. The French market is the kingdom’s top source of tourists.
The forum came amid regional tensions in the Middle East that have been reshaping European travelers’ preferences. Morocco positioned itself as a stable, accessible, and secure destination in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Proximity, diversity of experiences, and operational reliability are key factors French tour operators seek when building their travel programs.
SETO has organized its annual forum since 2009. As the main professional gathering for the French tourism industry, it focuses on market trends and the outlook for outbound tourism from France.
The French market holds a central place in Morocco’s tourism strategy. The country welcomed more than 5.7 million French tourists in 2025, an 11% increase compared to the previous year. French arrivals accounted for nearly 29% of all international tourists.
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Early indicators for 2026 confirm the upward trend. French arrivals rose by 14% as early as January. The SETO barometer also reported continued growth in passenger flows to Morocco and a rise in bookings for the winter season.
The choice of Tamuda Bay as a venue tied into efforts to promote new tourist regions beyond traditional destinations. Royal Air Maroc, the official carrier of the event, launched a direct Paris-Tetouan flight to improve access to northern Morocco and support the emergence of new destinations among French tourism professionals.
The SETO Forum followed another major initiative on the American front, as Fayda extended to the French market the same aggressive approach applied to the North American market. The strategy relied on close engagement with tour operators, promotion of lesser-known regions, and strengthening of air connectivity.
Morocco is hosting the international conference of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) Out of Country Meeting from March 19 to 29.
Held for the first time on the African continent, the event brought a delegation of around fifty senior US tourism executives to visit Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Tangier, Chefchaouen, and Marrakech.
The USTOA Board Meeting and an Industry Day organized by the ONMT took place on March 25 in Rabat, focusing on strategic partnerships and commercial opportunities for the 2026-2030 period.
