Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, attracting high levels of investment and creating millions of jobs. But what does it take to become a tourist hub, and is big investment alone enough to attract a mass influx of visitors?

The Arab Spring protests, and the months of political instability that followed, slowed FDI inflows into north Africa. But rather than pulling out of the region entirely, many investors simply put their projects on hold or moved into other more stable economies such as Morocco and Algeria.

The world's economic balance is shifting, and sovereign wealth funds are starting to cut their exposure to developed economies and head towards emerging markets. But facing challenges such as limited availability of 'free-float' equity, the move does not come without risk.

Attijariwafa Bank is the largest financial institution in Morocco and the sixth largest in Africa. Its CEO, Mohamed El Kettani, tells Barbara Njauabout the bank's plans for expansion within Africa, particularly to the unbanked, and of the projects it has funded throughout the continent.

With the largest stock exchange in north Africa, a slew of new projects intended to attract foreign investors and a modernisation drive to improve existing institutions, Casablanca is well positioned to achieve its aim of becoming an international financial centre.

While its partners in Europe contemplate the possibility of a double-dip recession and its neighbours get to grips with the aftermath of the 'Arab Spring' uprisings, there is a pervading feeling that Morocco will sustain its solid economic growth.

Attracting travellers to Morocco is not difficult, given its array of natural attractions and reputation as a cultural hot-spot. However, the country's government is not resting on its laurels, and has launched a plan to pull in more tourists, and in doing so attract more foreign investment and create more jobs.