Tourism: CMKD sets a target of 40 hotels in three years
CMKD plans to launch the construction of around forty 3-star hotels in Morocco by 2010. For the moment, the aforementioned consortium is focusing on modernizing its hotel portfolio. A budget of 175 million dirhams has been allocated for the renovation of the Golden Tulip in Casablanca.
“If CMKD’s ambitions are realized, Morocco will have bridged a large part of its hotel capacity deficit by 2010. The country will then be able to welcome 10 million tourists!!!” This reaction came from a tourism sector operator who attended the press conference organized by the Moroccan-Kuwaiti Development Consortium (CMKD) on October 2nd. And for good reason, it was announced at this press briefing that the consortium will build, in partnership with Golden Tulip, around forty 3-star hotels in Morocco within the time remaining until 2010. As a reminder, the Kuwaiti consortium currently owns five hotels in Morocco. A tall order! Reply some experts in this sector, which is considered difficult. This is evidenced by the difficulty of first finding the land, and then its positioning in the most sought-after sites in Morocco capable of attracting tourists. Secondly, building a 3-star hotel takes at least two years. This partnership could take different forms. Either both parties build together, or one of the entities builds. In either case, management always falls to Golden Tulip.
Moving towards luxury
The Golden Tulip Casablanca hotel has just closed its doors. The total renovation work on this establishment by CMKD has already begun. The budget allocated to this project is estimated at 175 million dirhams. “The Golden Tulip Farah hotel in Casablanca will be completely stripped down. At the end of the work, our ambition is to be among the top in the sector in Morocco,” emphasizes Waleed F. Al Fehaid, Chairman and CEO of the Moroccan-Kuwaiti Development Consortium (CMKD). The decision to close the hotel completely for the first time since its inauguration in 1980 comes in preparation for the launch of a new project. “After this radical renovation, our establishment will be in the 5-star luxury category in accordance with current international standards,” adds the CMKD president. The renovation will cover the hotel’s exterior facade, the 300 rooms, the restaurants, and the reception halls. The number of suites will also be increased. The business center will be equipped with appropriate modern equipment and communication tools. Five floors will be dedicated to it.
The work will span a period of 12 months. Before the full opening in October 2007, the hotel will be partially accessible to guests during the months of April and May. It should be noted that CMKD already carried out a total renovation program in 2003 for its Farah hotels. These are the ones in Rabat, Marrakech, Safi, and Khouribga. That said, CMKD is also finalizing the last details of the technical and engineering studies for the realization of a tourist residence project at the Gandouri station in Tangier on an area of 2.5 hectares. The project will include a luxury hotel, tourist residences, green spaces, sports fields, etc.
Other major projects have been launched or are in the process of being so. Notably, the construction work for a high-end residence (Diyar VI) at the Espace d’Anfa square. It is a project of 14 apartments ranging from 230 to 460 square meters.