Morocco Tourism Leader Honored at Inaugural Awards Ceremony

RABAT - The inaugural Morocco Tourism Awards (MTA) ceremony was held this week to recognize key contributors propelling Morocco's thriving tourism sector to new heights. As industry luminaries gathered in the capital on January 16th, Hamid Bentahar of Accor received the most coveted award of the evening – Tourism Leader of the Year.

The gala event, organized by Tourisma Post media outlet, aimed to spotlight visionaries and destinations that are solidifying Morocco's reputation as a premier tourism hotspot. To ensure objectivity in the selection process, nominations were put forth by a panel of national media executives.

In her opening remarks, Tourisma Post founder Ahlam Jebbar emphasized the awards' commitment to impartiality, stating: “The great difficulty of an awards meeting is to have the neutrality and autonomy necessary to make the right choices.”

The guest of honor for the occasion was HM King Mohammed VI's advisor, André Azoulay, present to witness history as the awards paid tribute to the trailblazers expanding Morocco’s tourism footprint during the challenging 2023.

A Pillar of Morocco’s Tourism Landscape

With a towering presence in Morocco’s hospitality realm for over 30 years, Hamid Bentahar was a fitting choice for the Tourism Leader laureate. Currently serving as President of Morocco's National Tourism Confederation and President of Accor Management Morocco, Bentahar has played an instrumental role in steering the sector through turbulent times.

A native of coastal El Jadida, Bentahar has risen through the ranks to become a top executive driving Accor’s upscale hospitality ventures across Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Milestones in his illustrious career include senior positions such as Vice-President of Operations for Accor-Hotel Morocco and Vice-President overseeing Luxury and Upscale Operations company-wide.

Cementing his legacy as a tourism champion, Bentahar was knighted into France's prestigious Legion of Honor order in 2016 – a nod to his efforts spurring Morocco’s industry growth. The decoration ceremony coincided with Bentahar’s 10th anniversary as President of Marrakech’s Regional Tourism Council, as the Red City’s tourism sphere remains closely intertwined with his life’s work.

Weathering Turbulence with Resilience

In his remarks at the 2023 Morocco Tourism Awards, Bentahar noted that despite contending with lingering Covid impacts coupled with September’s devastating earthquake, Morocco’s tourism posted record arrivals, surpassing pre-pandemic volumes.

He credited this milestone to the industry’s resilience and acknowledged King Mohammed VI’s leadership in galvanizing unified national efforts to bolster tourism against daunting obstacles.

Bentahar also commended the Moroccan media's role in amplifying the sector’s resilience during turbulent times. With major sporting events like the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and 2030 World Cup looming on the horizon, he believes the future shines especially bright for the Kingdom to solidify its stature as a world-class tourism epicenter.