HIBAPRESS
The Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, Social Economy, and Solidarity announced that it has launched, starting this May, a system of secret visits within classified tourist accommodation establishments.
A statement from the Ministry indicated that the experts, who were selected after a call for tenders, will evaluate 2,500 establishments across various regions of the Kingdom. The source added that the secret visits fall under the provisions of Law No. 80.14 and constitute an important step in developing the classification system for tourist establishments in Morocco, highlighting that the classification no longer relies solely on infrastructure and equipment, but also includes the quality of services through the real experience of the tourist during their stay. The Ministry affirmed that Morocco is thus keeping pace with the standards adopted in major tourist destinations and supports the ambition of receiving 26 million tourists by 2030. The statement highlighted that the Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Social Economy, and Solidarity, Fatima Zahra Ammor, stated that "secret visits are a promise we make to the tourist to live an experience at the level of their expectations. In this way, Morocco will enhance its reputation as a leading tourist destination by 2030 and beyond." This system includes classified establishments from the 3-star category and above, within the categories of: hotels, hotel clubs, tourist residences, guesthouses, riads and kasbahs, whether upon initial classification or upon renewal. The classification process is based on two integrated stages, the first of which is a visit by the competent regional committee, to ensure that the establishment complies with construction and equipment standards, while the second stage relates to a secret visit carried out by a specialized expert anonymously, which includes the various stages of the customer's experience (reservation, reception, restaurants, hygiene, room service, sports area, swimming pools, entertainment facilities, speed of check-in and check-out, as well as the overall assessment of the stay). The evaluation lists have been published in the Official Gazette and include between 235 and 387 criteria, according to the type and category of the establishment. They have been prepared in a way that ensures a balance between quality requirements, management specificities, and the authenticity of the Moroccan tourist experience. The Ministry affirmed that the classification is no longer final, but is granted for 7 years initially, then renewed every 5 years, with regular monitoring operations, and for establishments that do not meet the required standards, a period will be granted to improve their services and correct the imbalances, before any classification decision.
