The Plan Azur is an investment project initiated by the Moroccan government in 2001. The project aims at boosting tourism in Morocco through the development of six coastal resorts, five on the Atlantic coast and one on the Mediterranean coast. The project was launched in order to achieve the "Vision 2010" strategy which aimed to attract 10 million visitors a year to

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

. Plan Azur was developed to provide 80,000 beds and 10 golf courses. The project suffered several setbacks and delays, due to financial difficulties and to the lack of marketing.

List of coastal resorts

Mediterrania-Saïdia

Mediterrania-

Saïdia Saïdia (; ''Ajrud''), known as the ''"Blue Pearl"'', is a coastal town in northeastern Morocco. It is located in the Berkane Province in the north of Beni Znassen region, lying in the adjacent metropolitan area of Berkane itself, along the Me ...

is the only Plan Azur resort on the Mediterranean coastline. The 7,000,000 sq m real estate project was launched in 2005 by a Spanish property developer Fadesa. The completion was planned for 2009, however, updates are documented on the officia
Mediterrania Saidia
site.

Criticism

Mediterrania-Saïdia is close to one of Morocco's most biodiverse hotspots, the estuary of the Oued Melouia. Here, in dune forests are some of Moroccos's rarest species, and the construction companies involved at the site have come under criticism for poor environmental planning, leading to invasive impacts on these unique natural spaces.Morocco tourism - luxury resort beach harmed environment Spain
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Port Lixus

Port Lixus, a lower density resort than Mediterrania-Saïdia, is near

Larache Larache () is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast, where the Loukkos River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Larache is one of the most important cities of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. Many civilisations and cultures have ...

on the northern Atlantic coast, this Azur Plan resort will include two 18-hole golf courses, a new marina, a sports and leisure complex, several hotels and luxurious apartments and villas. Salixus, a Belgian-Dutch consortium, is the master developer of this €1 billion, 4,620,000 sq m real estate project, earmarked for final completion in 2015.

Mazagan

South of

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

is Mazagan - Situated near

El Jadida El Jadida (, ) is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located south of the city of Casablanca, in the province of El Jadida and the region of Casablanca-Settat. It has a population of 170,956 as of 2023. The fortified city, b ...

on the Atlantic coast. This Azur Plan resort was launched in late 2007 and will include a casino, two 18-hole golf courses, over 15 km of beach and several hotels and luxury properties.

Mogador Essaouira

Mogador

Essaouira Essaouira ( ; ), known until the 1960s as Mogador (, or ), is a port city in the western Moroccan region of Marrakesh-Safi, on the Atlantic coast. It has 77,966 inhabitants as of 2014. The foundation of the city of Essaouira was the work of t ...

the fourth Plan Azur resort covering 5,700,000 sq m will include two 18-hole golf courses with more properties and hotels.

Taghazout

North of

Agadir Agadir (, ; ) is a major List of cities in Morocco, city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Sous River, Souss River flows into the ocean, and south of Casabla ...

, the development will include several 4 and 5 star hotels, 2 golf courses, and several residential, leisure and retail facilities. Phase 1 properties are due for completion in late 2008.

''Playa Blanca''

The final of the six of the Plan Azur regions is ''Playa Blanca'' where development rights have been awarded to Fadesa, the main developer of the Mediterrania-Saïdia resort.

References and notes

{{Economy of Morocco, state=uncollapsed Seaside resorts in Morocco 2001 establishments in Morocco Tourism in Morocco Economic policy in Africa Economic development programs Economic history of Morocco