I remember when Morocco won the hearts of the world in 2022.
It was during the World Cup, and they became the first African nation and the first Arab team to ever reach the semi-finals of the tournament. Throughout their run, they charmed the hearts of football fans across the world, with their earnestness and their drive. Their performance brought about a swell of support from the Arab world, fostering a sense of cohesion and joy across the region.
The impact of their World Cup run extended even beyond the football field, according to a 2024 New York University study. “Morocco’s World Cup journey wasn’t just about athletic achievement; it was a compelling story that captured the world’s attention,” said clinical associate professor at New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences Anasse Bari. “Our research suggests it spurred a remarkable interest in the country; in ways we hadn’t fully anticipated.”
Mr Bari was a senior author of a study on the ‘Flutie Effect’ (a phenomenon that links athletic success to a boost in college application in the US) that Morocco’s World Cup performance had on its economy. They found a nearly 150% increase in positive sentiment towards the country during the tournament compared to the preceding month. This positive attention wasn’t limited to news articles, with searches for visas, Moroccan cuisine and culture, also rising throughout and after the tournament.
Although the popularity of these terms generally declined after the World Cup, topics associated with ‘Morocco travel’ maintained a sustained increase in attention of 2,356% compared to the period during the competition. “We can’t definitively say if the World Cup translated to increased tourism numbers,” Mr Bari said, “but it certainly generated significant interest beyond just the sporting competition.”
The kingdom has also seemed to realise the economic impact a successful World Cup run has on a country. In 2030, Morocco will co-host the World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain, and will become the second African nation, the second MENA nation, and the first North African nation to do so, finally succeeding after five previously failed bids since the 90s.
However, the investment into this tournament has some questioning whether the kingdom is ready to take on such a big financial burden, especially in the light of its Vision 2035 plan, which aims for a 6% annual growth to tackle issues with regional disparities and social inequalities.
According to the Morocco World News “the country is preparing to invest approximately $5bn in infrastructure projects, aiming to transform its economy and boost tourism from the current 15.9m visitors recorded in the first 11 months of 2024 to an ambitious target of 26m by 2030.”
This will also help in resolving the issues with unemployment, and “diversifying the economy through targeted infrastructure, industrial, and service sector development”.
The kingdom’s ambitions are also reflected in its development of the insurance industry, as this issue of the magazine will tell you. Investments in technology across the entire insurance value chain, from regulation to underwriting, show a nation that is serious and driven in uplifting all of its citizens. M
Ahmad Zaki
Editorial director
Middle East Insurance Review