Stewart, a former secretary of state for international development, told Abta’s Travel Convention in Marrakech he was “very optimistic” for the future of the industry as it makes its post-pandemic recovery.
“The world is brutal to very poor countries... but it’s no accident that the biggest driver of the economies of poorer countries is tourism,” said Stewart, who served as a Conservative MP from 2010 to 2019.
“What these countries have is unspoilt nature, traditions that others don’t. This positions them very well to be at the forefront of a new type of travel – high-end luxury travel, adventure travel, environmentally-friendly travel is something that creates jobs.”
Stewart described how Morocco had seen the percentage of its citizens facing “extreme poverty”, those living on less than $2 per day, drop from 40% in 2005 to 3% in 2022 due to the investment of the tourism sector.
“You guys, combined with the energy and ingenuity of the Moroccan people and their crafts, buildings, services and culture, are transforming the economy and lives of people in the most difficult of situations."
’Golden age of travel’
Stewart, who is currently living in Jordan, said he believed the appetite of consumers to travel to countries such as Jordan and Morocco was growing. “I think all of us in this room have had our lives changed by travel and I think more and more people in Britain and around the world feel that way too," Stewart continued.
“There are more and more sophisticated clients – I think we’re entering a golden age of travel. [The] experiences you can offer in places like Morocco today are so much better than the experiences I had 30 years ago, and we can use that to grow the sector."
Stewart told delegates that within the current economic climate: “I wouldn’t be betting on the UK property industry – I’d be betting on the travel industry.”
