HRH Prince Moulay Rachid lauds importance of sport tourism as a new niche market

African Compak Sporting Championship is coming to Tangier

Tangier-Morocco, December 22, 2007 -- Recognizing the importance of sport tourism as a sector with significant growth potential in the Kingdom of Morocco, His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, the President of Royal Moroccan Federation for Hunting Shotgun Shooting, announced the sport tourism initiative designed to increase sports events hosted in the country.

His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid was one of the first in the Kingdom of Morocco to address the immediate needs to promote development of sport tourism as a viable contributor to the economic prosperity of local communities, stressing potential of generating jobs, businesses, investors that can positively effect poverty reduction.

Building a greater awareness of the importance of tourism, His Royal Highness also outlined the sport tourism contributions to social and cultural vitality.

Therefore, to continue to create a viable sport tourism industry and ensure improving economic and social conditions in Morocco, His Royal Highness has stepped up efforts to attract events to the Tangier Region.

Tangier will host international event, the African Compak Sporting Championship, that will kick-start its 2008 competition from May 1st to 3rd.

Compak Sporting is highly specialized discipline of Sporting clays. It allows all the usual targets from English sporting to be combined into a competition utilizing only a very small area. There are five firing stations and the shooters change firing points after every sequence of targets throughout the 25 clays that makes up a round.

His Royal Highness expressed hope the championship would achieve its objectives in enhancing developmental projects that would reflect positively on standards of living of citizens and generate a favorable boost to the local economies.

His Royal Highness’ keenness to attract and retain sport tourism is mark by stream of events and projects. As soccer enthusiast, His Royal Highness actively support soccer industry and for several times spearheaded delegations and played a key role in pushing forward the Moroccan candidature for variety of World’s soccer Championships.

As Honorary President of Royal Moroccan Yachting Federation and Royal Moroccan Skiing and Mountaineering Federation, His Royal Highness established and advanced several initiatives and projects to preserve and enhance sport tourism opportunity.

However, the major international sports event in Morocco remains the Hassan II Golf Trophy, which Prince Moulay Rachid organizes annually in memories of his father.