A delegation from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) stayed in Marrakech from 27 to 30 October as part of a scouting trip for the holding of the Association's annual "Destination Expo" Congress scheduled from 26 February to 1 March.

During their stay in the Ochre City, the ASTA officials were received by the Wali of the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region, Abdessalem Bikrate, in the presence of representatives of the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) and the Regional Tourism Council (CRT) of the city. The Association, which has some 7,000 travel agencies generating 17 billion dollars in turnover, chooses a different destination each year to hold its congress, during which 600 of its members exchange with local tourism professionals, generate business opportunities, and immerse themselves in the product to better present and sell it to their clients.

At the end of this prospecting visit initiated by the ONMT for the benefit of ASTA officials, the vice-president of the Association, Susan Sheets, declared herself very satisfied with her stay in the Ochre City. "Morocco is a destination that we have been following closely for some time. The exceptional evolution of the infrastructure combined with the historical, cultural, and human assets makes it a destination of choice for our members and their clients," she said. The Kingdom enjoys a very good image in the United States and the last visit of H.M. King Mohammed VI to Washington strongly contributed to strengthening the visibility and notoriety of Morocco. In this context, major American media have notably mentioned "The generosity of the Moroccan people" (New York Times), "The relaxing character of the city of Marrakech and the exotic nature of Taroudant" (Time Magazine), "The harmony of traditional architecture mixed with the luxurious innovations of the 21st century" (Architectural Digest), and "The refinement of the art of living" (Forbes Magazine).