Situated along a 6kmstretch of beach at Saidia, a quiet seaside town popular with local Moroccan families, the resort is the first of several which together make up the Plan d'Azur project, which is being backed by the government and the king's 'Vision 2010' plan to increase tourist numbers to 10 million by 2010.

The 700-hectare site is located 40 minutes from the international airport at Oujda, which has been selected as one of the new destinations that Ryanair will start flying into from later this year.

The resort will consist of a mix of 3,000 apartments and villas, six luxury hotels and three 18-hole golf courses, a 840-berth marina, a commercial centre with shops, bars, restaurants, fitness and beauty centres, a souk, two nightclubs, an aquapark, diving school, sailing and yacht club, a bowling alley, a football stadium, athletics stadium, tennis and racquet courts, indoor gymnasiums, an Olympic-size outdoor pool, a hospital, a 1,000-seater conference centre, a heliport and 17 club-style restaurant bars along the length of the beach.

Property prices currently start from 117,700 and investors can benefit from exemption from rental income tax for five years and no capital gains tax if the property is sold after 10 years.

For further Information contact Saffron Villas, 00441635 39150; www. saffronvillas. com