The impact of investments by Moroccan footballers on the promotion of tourism and local sport

Abstract

Some Moroccan professional footballers have been able to gather a significant financial windfall through salaries, transfer bonuses, advertising contracts and other revenues. These footballers inject these revenues, directly or indirectly, into the national economic circuit.

Within this framework, this research focuses on the contribution of Moroccan footballers to sustainable local development through investment in projects in their home region.

Indeed, following the example of a Cameroonian footballer who launched a project in Yaoundé to fight against pollution and to create jobs for unemployed youth, these footballers, after years of service to national soccer, have a societal responsibility towards their country.

This article aims to present, through a unique exploratory case study, the investments of a Moroccan footballer who owns a tourist complex (cafeteria, restaurant, pastry shop, etc.) and founded an academy in his city, as well as the contribution of a footballer to the promotion of tourism and to the local socio-economic and sporting development. This article also questions the opportunities offered and the difficulties encountered.

The results of the qualitative study conducted on the basis of a semi-structured interview show that the footballer's investments have succeeded in attracting tourists, creating employment and developing the practice of soccer in an academic and professional manner in the city of Marrakech. However, some constraints are encountered such as the administrative heaviness and the lack of an entrepreneurial and managerial culture of the footballer.

Keywords: Sport, tourism, footballers, investment, socio-economic development.

JEL Classification: L83, Z20

Paper type: Empirical research