Morocco, a great opportunity for Spanish companies

The Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, in the north of Morocco, offered its full range of opportunities and options for attracting foreign investment during the event "Doing Business in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region" held in the auditorium of the Port Authority of Valencia. 

Valencia hosted the new edition of the meeting after those held in Casablanca, Barcelona and Seville and was an opportunity to highlight the good relations between Morocco and Spain and the investment attractiveness of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region for Valencian and Spanish investors in general.  

In Valencia, several success stories of entrepreneurs who have successfully developed their business in this northern region were presented, such as that of Omar El Hzoumri, CEO of ILYATEX, who presented the good development of his company dedicated to textile imports as an example of a successful business case in the area.  

Mr. Omar El Hzoumri, what are your companies and how did you see the Valencia event? 

First of all, we would like to thank the Generalitat de la Comunidad Valenciana for the opportunity they have given us to participate in the meeting. We are very happy for the event, on both sides, to make known and provide information on both countries in order to facilitate procedures for companies in the event of any doubts they may have. 

The company I represent is called ILYATEX and we are located in Morocco. We also have a company called Tifamar Textiles, located in the Valencian Community. And we are working in the textile world, in the distribution of textiles, footwear and decoration. 

What impression did you get from "Doing Business"? The contacts you have had with people, the information you have been able to provide, the information you have received about the facilities for investing in Morocco, the existing channels for Moroccans who have companies here... 

Yes, first of all, the event is a 10, because we have had meetings with organisations, with the port authorities, the Chambers of Commerce on both sides, Investment Centres such as the one in Tangier, many companies... Which is a way of communicating, facilitating, exchanging information, exchanging opportunities... which seemed to us to be very important. 

How are your companies doing? Tell us more about your activities.

Our activity is focused on the textile sector, we mainly import and export. We ship to the north of Morocco, Africa and the Middle East; in that sense, we are very internationalised. As for the event, it is a great opportunity to get to know more about Moroccan customers, because it is a very growing market where there are many opportunities. 

To what extent do the current relations between Spain and Morocco contribute and help the commercial activity of your business to go better? 

Currently, the two countries have an excellent relationship. On the part of the Spanish partners, we have always been provided with all the information that has been required, and always respecting the opportunities. At all times, they are at our disposal to provide us with any facility, so that both parties can move forward in a joint direction.  

What would need to be improved for your business to be better? 

More than improving, the ideal thing would be to hold more events like this one to make our products known and to have more meetings in order to reach more people, more countries. Even a whole continent such as Africa, which is a booming market and where there are many opportunities.  

The truth is that an event like the one held in Valencia gives us many opportunities to reach these markets, where we can contribute our experience. 

The organisation of the 2030 football World Cup by Morocco, Spain and Portugal is on everyone's mind, which offers many possibilities. Does that include the textile sector? How could it boost your entities?

Yes, very much so, because there is and there will be more in the future, a lot of demand, a lot of raw material... Investments in hotels, restaurants, industry, everything will need big investments. In this regard, the Moroccan entities will talk to Spanish companies that have a great deal of experience, that have great value in the textile sector. We want to be part of this and take advantage of new avenues of collaboration. 

If I were a potential entrepreneur, what would you tell me, how would you convince me to set up a business in Morocco? 

From my experience, I would advise all companies to go there, but always accompanied by public institutions, in order to have security and information and to have the best guarantees.  

In my experience, I believe that Spanish companies should go to Morocco; they should not go without first finding out what materials are available, what their needs are; they should first find out about the market, the requirements, the country's demand... then, once they have all this information, they should make the right decision. But I would say to everyone that they should at least try and ask. 

You are also a clear example of experience, of a case of total success in Spain. Moroccans can also go to Spain to do good business. 

Yes, because it is a country with a great variety of businesses and opportunities for entrepreneurs. Spain has a lot of experience in all areas. An experience that we not only need, but from which we want to learn in order to be able to export t

In the current context, as Morocco is, both countries have common, strategic interests in a situation as complicated as the current one. We are of the philosophy that in the world we must support each other. And what better support could there be than between us, who are at each other's doorstep and who are partners. For all that we share, we must support each other in order to move forward together.