An assessment of the competitiveness of the Moroccan tourism industry Benchmarking implications

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine practices, realities and opportunities relevant to Moroccan tourism. In the process, the competitiveness of this vital economic sector is assessed. Based on this examination, relevant, benchmarking implications are identified and advanced to policy makers. Design/methodology/approach - The shift-share technique is utilized to analyze tourist arrivals, from different regions of the world, to Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. The shift-share analysis is utilized to understand the existing competitive position of Morocco in relation to her main competitors. Findings - The results of the shift-share analysis revealed that Morocco has not performed as well as the rest of the competitors in the benchmark group. This was attributed, in part, to focusing on markets with less potential for growth. Research limitations/implications - The shift-share technique utilized in this study is a diagnostic tool. Thus, more research is needed to uncover the dynamic relationships relevant to the competitive position of Moroccan tourism. Practical implications - The findings of this study have clear benchmarking implications to Moroccan policy makers, as they pursue a more comprehensive and systematic tourism strategy. Originality/value - The applied research presented in this article is consistent with the increasing significance of global tourism.