Chapter 17: The Fitness Industry in Morocco

Morocco is a country characterised by greater political and economic stability than the rest of the countries in the region, ranking 75th out of 140 countries in the 2018–2019 Global Competitiveness Report’s Global Competitiveness Index (Schwab, 2018). In recent years, it has achieved acceptable average growth rates, with a per-capita income at current prices in 2019 of $ 3,345. The sustained growth recorded in the Moroccan economy in recent years has been due to the numerous structural reforms implemented, and mainly those aimed at improving the country’s regulatory environment.

Morocco has more than 35.7 million inhabitants, 60.3% of whom make up the urban population and 39.7% the rural population. The population is overwhelmingly young. In 2017, 26.1% was under the age of 15, while the elderly represented around just 6.6% of the total population. However, this trend has reversed and life expectancy has increased in recent years, reaching 76.2 years, making an aging population likely in the coming years.