The first edition of AAAEXPO (Africa Amusement & Attractions Expo), a Pan-African platform for the entertainment, attractions, and leisure industries, opened Wednesday in Rabat, bringing together stakeholders from around 20 countries to explore development prospects for these sectors in Africa.
AAAEXPO 2026 is the result of a partnership between Webloo and TLS Groupe, with institutional support from the Moroccan Society for Tourism Engineering (SMIT). The four-day event features more than 100 exhibitors and is expected to attract over 10,000 industry professionals.
SMIT Director General Imad Barrakad emphasized at the opening ceremony that the leisure and entertainment industry is poised, more than ever, to play a major role in the future of tourism in Morocco and across the African continent.
This highly capital-intensive industry is an important job creator, generating up to three jobs for every MAD 1 million invested. This makes leisure a key factor in choosing a destination rather than merely a supplementary activity, he argued.
Barrakad noted that, in line with the High Royal Guidelines calling for the promotion of productive investment, the development of leisure infrastructure serves as a key lever for enhancing regional potential, diversifying the tourism offering, and supporting Morocco’s ambition to welcome 26 million tourists by 2030.
For his part, Webloo Director General Mehdi Naourass said that this first edition aims to encourage national and international companies to invest in building a genuine ecosystem dedicated to the entertainment industry in Morocco.
TLS Groupe Director General Houssaine Nourani said Morocco was chosen to host this first-of-its-kind event in Africa because of the remarkable development the Kingdom is experiencing in terms of infrastructure, tourism, and sports facilities.
The aim of the exhibition is to bring together manufacturing and investment experts to equip the country with major theme parks and entertainment facilities that meet the high standards of Morocco’s hotel infrastructure, he said.
This first edition is structured around four complementary components: a professional exhibition, practical workshops, a program of conferences and panel discussions, and structured B2B and B2G meetings.
AAAEXPO aims to become a leading event for the leisure and attractions industry in Africa, fostering sector growth, partnerships, and new opportunities.
MAP: 21 October 2026
