Accor-Risma partnership: major projects to boost national tourism

On the occasion of the visit to Morocco, on April 2 and 3, 2026, of Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, and his participation on the supervisory board of Risma, Accor and Risma announce a new stage, described as major, in their historic partnership. This one “marks renewed momentum in favor of the hospitality and tourism sectors in the Kingdom”, indicates a joint press release.

«This visit testifies to the solidity and depth of the partnership that has united Accor and Risma for more than three decades, a structuring and driving partnership for the Moroccan tourism industry. The two groups reaffirm their common desire to accelerate their development in Morocco and launch major joint initiativess», ont-ils souligné.

As part of this collaboration, Accor and Risma announced three “major projectsHAS”. The first is the launch of the Sofitel Tanger. This new emblematic establishment, located on the new corniche offering an exceptional panorama of the Detroit, “will enrich Tangier’s luxury hotel offering, thus contributing to the city’s influence and the attractiveness of the Morocco destination».

The second project is the renovation and repositioning of existing hotel establishments. This program will mobilize investments that “aim to modernize the hotel portfolio, optimize the portfolio of establishments, their segmentation and their competitiveness, while offering ever more qualitative experiences to travelers».

The third project is the creation of the Training Academy for Tourism professions. Co-financed by Accor and Risma, “this academy represents a strong commitment to training and professional integrationHAS”. Its mission will be to promote local talents and train future generations of tourism professionals, “contributing to training in service excellence and innovation in the sector».

Following the uncrossing of their holdings in 2023, Accor and Risma reaffirm their ambition for growth, capitalizing on the sharing of a common vision and values ​​and the specific strengths of each entity, noted the press release.

The two groups are also strengthening their concrete commitment to human capital, a real lever for growing the sector. This investment will be implemented through a process of listening to the needs of professionals and coordinating with the supervisory authorities.

Strategic partnership

On this occasion, Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor, declared: “We are particularly proud to take this new step in our partnership with Risma. Gérard Pélisson, co-founder of Accor, was a great friend of Morocco and the Kingdom remains a strategic destination for our Group. We were pioneers there and we built strong links with leading partners. Today, the strengthening of our collaboration with Risma testifies to our confidence in the potential of Moroccan tourism. Through these major projects, we confirm our commitment to investing in the country, supporting its economic growth and promoting its talents.».

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Azeddine Guessous, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Risma, added: “This visit by Mr. Sébastien Bazin is a strong signal of the strategic importance of our partnership with Accor. The initiatives announced today, in particular the move to franchising and the creation of the Training Academy, are crucial for the future of our sector. They will allow us to continue to innovate, develop and train for excellence while contributing sustainably to the development of national tourism..»

Amine Echcherki, chairman of the board of directors of Risma, concluded: “The extension and new impetus given to our historic relationship with Accor are key success factors for our ambitions. The acceleration of our common development will be done in particular through franchising, allowing a more rapid and diversified expansion of our activities. With the commercial and marketing power of Accor and the integrated expertise that Risma has developed in terms of management, we have all the assets to contribute to the modernization of the hotel offer in Morocco, as well as the constant raising of its standards.»

A new impetus serving the Morocco destination

Maud Bailly, directrice générale de Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery et Emblems d’Accor, a commenté: «I am very happy with this new era which is dawning between Accor and Risma, the Group’s historic partner. We have magnificent projects to carry out together, Morocco becoming more than ever a reference country in terms of luxury destinations and experiences. I thank Risma for its renewed trust, through its Supervisory Board and its Management Board.»

This strengthened partnership between Accor and Risma promises to further boost the Moroccan tourism sector, by bringing innovation, quality training and development opportunities, underline the two partners. This new momentum responds to the challenges of increasing the strength of Destination Morocco and in particular on the occasion of the next World Cup in 2030, they conclude.