Morocco and Panama signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector, as both countries seek to expand exchanges and boost connectivity between Africa and the Americas.
The agreement was signed in Rabat by Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy, Fatim-Zahra Ammor, and Panama’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Arturo Hoyos Boyd, during the first session of political consultations between the two countries.
The memorandum seeks to promote tourism exchanges through the sharing of expertise and best practices in the sector, while also opening new opportunities for the promotion of tourism destinations, sustainable development, and investment.
According to officials, the partnership builds on Panama’s strategic role as a gateway to the Americas and Morocco’s position as a crossroads linking Europe and Africa.
During the meeting, Boyd praised Morocco’s tourism offering and highlighted Panama’s growing role in international air transport and tourism flows. He noted that Panama welcomed around three million tourists last year and benefits from strong air connectivity through the national carrier Copa Airlines, which handles nearly 20 million transit passengers annually.
The Panamanian official also expressed his country’s interest in establishing a direct air route between Rabat and Panama City, saying such a connection could significantly strengthen tourism and economic exchanges between the two nations.
For her part, Ammor highlighted the recent performance of Morocco’s tourism sector, recalling that the Kingdom inaugurated the first UN Tourism Innovation Office for Africa last month, which is expected to serve as a continental hub for innovation and digital leadership in tourism.
The Moroccan minister stressed that Morocco and Panama share similar geographical and cultural positioning, emphasizing that stronger direct air connectivity would serve as a key driver for expanding bilateral tourism cooperation.
