Influences
Spain is betting on Andalusia to attract Moroccans
The Spanish Embassy in Morocco organized an event to promote Granada as a preferred tourist destination.
As part of promoting Granada, the Spanish Embassy, the Granada Provincial Council, and the Spanish Tourism Office held a presentation event titled “Granada: The Alhambra is just the beginning,” attended by airlines, maritime companies, business leaders, and journalists. The goal was to leverage new synergies between Morocco and Spain to boost trade and increase tourist flows.
Spain’s Ambassador to Morocco, Enrique Ojeda Vila, emphasized the importance of Granada and Andalusia as top tourist destinations for Moroccan visitors, highlighting the quality of hospitality, diversity of offerings, and geographical proximity. He also noted that tourism plays a vital role beyond economics by fostering human connections between the two societies, especially through cultural tourism that helps rediscover shared roots and strengthen historical ties between Morocco and Spain.
“Morocco and Spain share a rich history, common cultural heritage, and deep human links. These connections must now be strengthened, notably through better connectivity between our cities,” said Francisco Rodríguez, President of the Granada Provincial Council. He added, “Connecting Rabat to Granada in one hour would be wonderful. We need to convince airlines to create a direct link between these two cities,” which would facilitate tourist, cultural, academic, and economic exchanges.
A highlight of the evening was the screening of the documentary “Alhambra, the treasure of the last Andalusian emirate,” co-produced by RTVE and ARTE with financial participation from Turespaña. This award-winning documentary offers a rediscovery of the Alhambra through scientific research and unprecedented digital reconstructions. Rodrigo Ruiz-Jiménez, Director of the Alhambra and Generalife, praised the thorough work done by architects, historians, and archaeologists on every corner of the site, as showcased in the film.
Paolo Pinamonti, Director of the International Music and Dance Festival of Granada, presented the 74th edition of the festival, to be held from June 19 to July 13, 2025. The program will include symphonic and chamber concerts, recitals, operas, film screenings, dance shows, flamenco, and jazz, with over 40 performances in the city’s most emblematic venues.
Jesús Ibáñez, Director of the Sierra Nevada ski resort, introduced the facilities and notable new features of one of the largest ski areas in southern Europe, ideal for enjoying snow in a modern setting.
The event was hosted by María José Gómez, Tourism Advisor responsible for the Moroccan market since 2022. She stressed the importance of tourist flows between the two countries. In 2024, 767,000 Moroccan tourists visited Spain, mainly Andalusia (42%), Madrid (24%), and Catalonia (11%).
A professional meeting is scheduled today in Casablanca between the more than twelve tourism companies accompanying the Granada delegation (Barceló, El Corte Inglés, agencies, etc.) and over forty Moroccan buyers.
