Drought, Coronavirus Drag Down Moroccan Growth Forecasts

Farmers carry containers of strawberries, to be exported, after picking them in a field in the town of Moulay Bousselham in Kenitra province. (Reuters)
Farmers carry containers of strawberries, to be exported, after picking them in a field in the town of Moulay Bousselham in Kenitra province. (Reuters)
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Drought, Coronavirus Drag Down Moroccan Growth Forecasts

Farmers carry containers of strawberries, to be exported, after picking them in a field in the town of Moulay Bousselham in Kenitra province. (Reuters)
Farmers carry containers of strawberries, to be exported, after picking them in a field in the town of Moulay Bousselham in Kenitra province. (Reuters)

A Moroccan business center has expected the country's economic growth to drop to 0.8 percent this year due to drought and the impact of the new coronavirus on non-agricultural sectors.

The Centre Marocain de Conjuncture (CMC) noted that agricultural production will decline by 3 percent in 2020 compared to 2019. Last year’s season had also witnessed a sharp drop in production due to drought.

As for non-agricultural sectors, the CMC expected a slowdown in growth as a result of COVID-19.

Tourism is one of the most affected sectors amid estimates of a drop by 25 percent and a slow and difficult revival.

The transportation sector will also take a significant hit. The minerals and extraction industries will be impacted by the drop in global demand. Growth in the mineral sector is expected to drop 2.5 percent, said the center.

Growth in the manufacturing sector is predicted to drop to less than 2 percent, said the CMC, noting that several industrial establishments are suffering from a shortage in raw material and others are facing difficulties in accessing the markets. Several factories have already stopped production, especially in the car making sector.



Saudi Tourism Minister Announces Support for 17 Tourism Projects in Al-Ahsa

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the main investment opportunities in the tourism sector. SPA
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the main investment opportunities in the tourism sector. SPA
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Saudi Tourism Minister Announces Support for 17 Tourism Projects in Al-Ahsa

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the main investment opportunities in the tourism sector. SPA
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted the main investment opportunities in the tourism sector. SPA

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb has met with several investors and entrepreneurs in Al-Ahsa Governorate as part of his tour to various regions and governorates of the Kingdom coinciding with the Saudi winter events calendar.
In the meeting, he highlighted the main investment opportunities in the tourism sector, emphasizing the ministry's commitment to providing comprehensive services and facilities to enable investors to join the promising sector.

Al-Khateeb noted that the tourism ecosystem supports numerous projects in Al-Ahsa, including 17 unique tourism initiatives valued at over SAR3.5 billion, providing more than 1,800 hotel rooms.

The projects aim to boost the tourism sector, leveraging Al-Ahsa's exceptional features that qualify it to become a major tourist destination in the Kingdom and the region, the minister said.

During his tour, he made a stop at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Al-Ahsa, a beneficiary of the Tourism Development Fund. Covering an area of over 10,000 square meters and costing more than SAR200 million, the hotel boasts more than 180 rooms.

It stands as a model tourist destination that combines international luxury with local authenticity, reflecting the unique charm of Al-Ahsa.