Moroccan Minister of Tourism, Craft Industry and Social Economy, Mr. Adil Douiri indicated that Morocco might lure about 6.5 million tourists in 2005. The Minister, who was talking during an interview with the daily newspaper Assahra Al Maghribia, published on Tuesday, stressed that this year’s increase in the number of tourists is a result of his ministry programs to promote tourism, and in particular the ambitious "Azure plan". The Minister also stated that the number of tourists coming from Europe alone increased by about 27% so far this year. Azure Plan was launched in late 2002 with the aim to increase the number of foreign visitors to Morocco.

Bladi.Net reports that Mr. Douiri emphasized that the government's greatest expectation from the development in the tourism sector is that by 2010, the year in which the "azure plan" is scheduled to be completed, there will be about 80,000 new direct and indirect employment opportunities created by this sector.