Several projects carried out under the Fez old city rehabilitation and revamp programs, these projects aimed at preserving the national heritage in all its components and protect it for the benefit of future generations, and with efforts to promote the influence of Fez which has always been an example of coexistence between civilizations and cultures.

Rehabilitation of the old city show Morocco King's desire to ensure a sustainable and responsible development for tourism, with a high human and cultural value added, improve the inhabitants' living conditions, preserve the urban and architectural aspect and promote the tangible and intangible heritage of the country's spiritual capital.

One of the places is the Seffarine Hammam (public bath), restored by the Ministry of endowments and Islamic affairs for 9.6 million dirhams, as well as the Staouniyine Foundouk (inn) whose restoration works totaled 50 Mlm dirhams and turned it into a center for innovation and sharing of ideas on weaving crafts. Also, the development project of Lalla Yeddouna square artisan complex worth 333 Mln dirhams. The project consists in the rehabilitation of 11 traditional buildings, the construction of 7 new ones, the development of El Jawahir River and its outer areas, and the restoration of the Bin Lamdoune historical bridge.

Fez Heritage Information Center and Al Batha Museum Restoration

The Lalla Yeddouna heritage and information center "Fez Heritage Center", is a place for raising the public's awareness on the importance of the city's heritage, as well as the different actions and initiatives undertaken to safeguard it.

The restoration works of the "Al Batha" Museum and the building works in the Fez Jdid neighborhood of a Jewish culture museum, projects that mirror the sovereign's unwavering will to keep the architectural identity of the city of Fez, the special interest the Commander of the Faithful takes in the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Moroccan Jewish community and his steadfast determination to preserve the wealth and diversity of the Moroccan identity's components.

These two projects are part of the 2018-2023 Fez Old Medina complementary upgrading program worth 583 mln dirhams, under an agreement inked under the presence of the King on May 14, 2018 in Rabat royal palace. The large-scale program provides for revamping 11 historical monuments and symbolic sites, 10 sites of worship (mosques and Quranic schools), 37 places of well-being (hammams, fountains and sanitary facilities), the rehabilitation of 39 places for handicrafts and traditional trade, the amelioration of the urban landscape and buildings (15 sites) as well as the refurbishment of Dar Al Makina.

Two projects under this program were completed. They are the Lalla Yeddouna heritage and information center and that of Bab Mahrouq. 32 projects are under way, including 12 related to traditional fountains worth 97 mln dirhams.

As part of reinforcing the Fez Old Medina's tourism attractiveness and enhancing its inhabitants' livelihood, a program to develop car parks, revamp public areas and establish an information mechanism is in progress.

Fez Restoration Program Budget

The program, worth 400 Mln dirhams, seeks to improve access to the old city via the development of 8 car parks (Bab El Hamra, Bab Jdid, Bin Lamdoune, Oued Ezzhoun, Bab El Kissa, Ain Azelitine, Bab Boujloud, Sidi Bounafaâ) with 3,200 parking lots, road paving (23 km), the mailing for streets, alleys, squares and small squares in the city and the setting up of information stands to serve residents, visitors and tourists.

The development works on the Bab El Kissa and Bin Lamdoune car parks have already begun, while the development projects of the Bab Boujloud, Sidi Bounafaa, Bab Jdid and Ain Azelitine car parks are in the contract awarding phase. The invitation to tender documents for contract awarding concerning the Bab El Hamra and Oued Ezzhoun car parks are in the preparation phase.

The cultural and civilizational heritage of Fez city has been developed, all stakeholders in the tourism sector and the components of society had invested so that the immense heritage of Fez can help take off this millennial city and ensure that this past contributes to building the future of news generations.

Fez Restoration Will Attract More Tourists

"Fez should be our first national destination because this symbolic city, steeped in history, which carries our civilization and culture, has no equal in Morocco in terms of heritage and culture," said the Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy, Mohamed Sajid, opening of the first edition of the "Media influence days".

The city of Fez is famous with its richness and authenticity and traditions of openness, coexistence and cohabitation. The re-launch of tourism in Fez is not just a matter of infrastructure and means, but a collective will be involving all the strata of the society and engaging both professionals, institutions and all components of society. The city of Fez in particular has recently been illustrated by crossing for the first time the threshold of one million overnight stays and this thanks to the efforts made in marketing, infrastructure and rehabilitation of the old medina.

The region is distinguished by its tourist attractiveness as evidenced by the large number of tourism infrastructure projects carried out or planned, citing in this context the SPA Vichy Thermalia Moulay Yaacoub, recently inaugurated and an interactive museum of the history of Morocco and a Resort around the history of Morocco, whose construction is planned in the Ismaili city. The great potential of Meknes and its region in terms of tourism, culture and heritage, highlighting the need to strengthen the tourist attractiveness of the city, and its hinterland and consolidate the territorial and regional approach to tourism development.