Morocco has recently released it plans called Vision 2010, which hopes to help bring nearly 10 million tourists a year. The motto of Vision 2010 is “A Shared Vision, Committed Operators,” who will work to promote not only responsible tourism, but also awareness on how outsiders can help and learn from the developing nation.

This statement from the Tourism Minister comes nearly one month after the Moroccan government stated that it is going to impose fines on foreign investors who do not build their rooms as fast as their contracts stipulate. Morocco is in need of assurance that these outside investors push to have these rooms finished, and finished fast. With a needed 15,000 beds per year, the benchmark of 230,000 beds by 2010 will not be met at the current rate of production.

Additionally, with the influx of various types of travelers now venturing to North Africa on budget airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet, quality units are surpassing the prices in Europe for a decent bed. “Marrakesh, in the 1960s was known as a farfetched destination accessible only to those far-flung hippies willing to travel the distance,” says Journey Beyond Travel, Morocco tour operators doing active,cultural trips in Morocco. “We now see an influx of flashpackers who no longer don a backpack, but who bring their overstuffed suitcases to the city for only a few exotic days.” Morocco needs to make sure that they keep their targeted audience widespread, inviting all sorts of different travelers to the country. Whether a traveler wants to live it up in a five-star Moroccan resort, or sleep amongst the Berbers in the High Atlas Mountains, the Ministry of Tourism and the country as a whole need to ensure that it safeguards its charm and allure, and uses that to promote responsible tourism throughout its vast geographic regions.