Some 213 investment projects were approved in the Souss-Massa region during the year 2017 for a total amount of around 17.9 billion DH. These projects will allow the creation of nearly 12,793 job opportunities, indicates the Regional Investment Centre (CRI).

Compared to 2016, the past year recorded a significant increase of 491% in terms of validated investment amount and nearly 4% regarding the number of projects that received a favourable opinion, notes the same source, which also reports an evolution of 153.7% in the number of jobs to be generated. The territorial distribution of the approved investments shows that the prefecture of Agadir Ida Outanane remains the main destination for investments at the regional level. During the past year, it thus concentrated 63% of the projects treated favourably with an investment envelope exceeding 11 billion DH, i.e., 62% of the investments injected into the Souss-Massa region. In terms of jobs to be created, the prefecture of Agadir-Ida Outanane also concentrates 71% of job opportunities in the region, i.e., more than 9,000 positions. Furthermore, the sectoral breakdown of investment projects shows a domination of the tourism sector (37.39%), followed by services (29.43%), construction (25.39%) and industry (3.96%). The year 2017 was mainly marked, it is recalled, by the validation of the signing of several investment agreements with the State, including the one relating to the realisation of the Congress Palace project in Agadir for an envelope of 1.4 billion DH, as well as a series of hotel projects at the level of the new Taghazout station which consolidates the destination's tourist offer. In terms of tourist animation, the year 2017 was also marked by the validation of a tourist animation park in the commune of Anza. The services sector ranks second thanks, in particular, to the signing of a framework investment agreement with the State for the seawater desalination plant project. This structuring project, which covers an area of nearly 20 ha in the commune of Inchaden, province of Chtouka-Ait Baha, will require a total investment of around 4.4 billion DH and will allow the creation of approximately 627 jobs. To consolidate the positioning of the city of Agadir as a health and wellness destination, the past year was marked by the validation of several projects around the future Agadir University Hospital, including a cardiology centre, a clinic specialising in reconstructive surgery, severe burns and aesthetics, and a clinic specialising in radiotherapy and plastic surgery, in addition to a training academy in health professions.