RECREATION INDUSTRY
A proactive strategy of adapting to the environment of a major industry in the Moroccan economy
As drivers of the national economy, the movie and hotel industries hold a privileged place within the Sanam Holding Group.
These two business lines, which are part of the sub-holding Sanam Loisirs, enjoy a substantial allocation of financial and human resources by the Group, which sees their growth as part of its long-term strategy.
MOVIE INDUSTRY LINE
Complete, customized solutions for shooting major film productions
Sanam Holding Group holds two movie studios located in Ouarzazate: Atlas Studios and CLA Studios.
These two studios are very well known among movie professionals in Morocco and abroad.
Their location, in the south of the country at the gateway to the desert, provides movie productions with stunning exterior scenery, including oases, casbahs, valleys, mountains, and dunes.
A number of very successful American and European cinema masterpieces were shot in the movie studios of Sanam Holding Group. They include Kundun, by Martin Scorsese; Gladiator 1 and 2 and Kingdom of Heaven, by Ridley Scott; Asterix and Obelix, by Claude Berri; Days of Glory, by Rachid Bouchareb; Prince of Persia, by Mike Newell, and Game of Thrones, by Thomas McCarthy.
The construction of Atlas Studios in 1983 sparked rapid economic development in the region.
In the 1980s, the first movie shot in Atlas Studios was “Jewel of the Nile,” with Michael Douglas, followed in 1986 by the filming of the 15th James Bond movie, “The Living Daylights.”
These two films brought international popularity to the town, particularly in the cradle of the American movie industry – Hollywood – and among all industry professionals.
From that point on, film-industry professionals began to see Ouarzazate as the African capital of cinema, earning it the nickname “Ouarzawood.”
Created in 1983 on a 10-hectare site, and capable of hosting 5 major movie productions simultaneously, Atlas Corporation Studios offers a complete range of services: the rental of sets, offices, workshops, stables, costumes, props and technical equipment, as well as catering and lodging for events.
Atlas Studios is open to the public, giving tourists the opportunity to visit its sets and its exhibits of costumes and props.
As for CLA Studios, created in 2004 in partnership with Dino De Laurentiis and Cinecitta, this structure encompasses an area of 160 hectares, giving filmmakers high-quality sets and installations capable of hosting 5 productions at once.
CLA Studios is also open to the public, giving tourists the opportunity to visit its sets and film installations.
HOTEL LINE
Locations sought out by foreign tourists, and an offering adapted to market expectations
This line has been developed through prestige hotel establishments located in strategic cities for the Moroccan tourist industry.
The establishments are the Villa Blanca Urban Hotel in Casablanca, the Dawliz Art & Spa in Rabat, and the l’Oscar Hôtel by Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate. Located in the Kingdom’s most beautiful cities, these establishments boast refined architectural design.
These hotels are also exceptional locations that offer gourmet restaurants, tea salons, lounges, conference rooms and spas.
With its 90 rooms and 4 large conference rooms, the Dawliz Art & Spa is an exceptional address between Rabat and Salé, on the ban of the legendary Bouregreg river.
The hotel faces several legendary monuments of the city of Rabat: the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, the new Theater Royal (the final masterpiece of the late architect Zaha Hadid), as well as the highest tower in Africa.
A charming hotel designed around the theme of the movies, the Oscar Hotel by Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate has 62 themed rooms.
The Oscar Hotel by Atlas Studios continues its role as part of the epic story of Moroccan cinema, which began in the 1980s and now welcomes many tourists who come to see the sets of the numerous well-known films that were shot in Atlas Studios, or to admire the beauty of the many natural sites, such as the renowned Taourirt Casbah, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
