Ever since the Moroccan King, Mohammed VI, launched his 'Vision 2010' strategic tourist development programme in 2001, designed to make his country one of the world's premier tourist destinations by 2010, interest in Moroccan property has soared. The King's Moroccan ambition is for the country to be welcoming ten million tourists a year by the end of the decade, and to make this happen he has invested over £2 billion to improve much of the country's infrastructure, including the development of six new quality resorts along the Moroccan Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

And as the country continues to become more accessible - there are now numerous low-cost airline servicing the country direct from the UK - and an increasingly popular tourist destination, so too has Moroccan property caught the eye of a far greater number of buyers, appealing to both holiday home and investment buyers alike.

In fact, according to recent figures, the Moroccan economy grew by 8.1 per cent in 2006, buoyed, says finance minister Fathallah Oualalou, by the country's tourism and, particularly, its real estate market.

It would certainly appear that the appeal of Moroccan property is far reaching. Even John Terry, captain of the English national football side, has been attracted and decided to buy a Moroccan property, choosing to purchase a three-bedroom villa from property agency New Era for his family in the exclusive Le Jardin de Fleur development in Saidia, on the country's Mediterranean coast.

So what made Terry decide to make his first foray into the overseas property market a Moroccan one?

"The Moroccan weather really appealed to me as did the short flight time," he says. "When you're looking for a holiday home some places can be four or five hours away - too far. Morocco can be reached in just 2.5 hours, which is ideal for me.

"The country's also full of great beaches and swimming pools, and the fact the villa is in a gated community really appeals as this gives security for my family.

"I've been out to the country on a few occasions with Ross and Jamie from New Estates and feel really comfortable about it. I wanted to have a good look around before investing. It's not about throwing my money at any old property. This is an investment for my pension and retirement."

While this villa will be for the Terry family's own use, the England defender adds that: "I'm fortunate enough to be in a position to buy another two villas and an apartment as well - hopefully the investment from these will pay off what I've paid for mine."

Terry is not the only English footballer to be sold on Moroccan property, however. Gary and Phil Neville, Rio Ferdinand and a number of Chelsea players, to name just a few, have also purchased a property on the same Moroccan development, which, when completed in 2010 will also comprise of 11 four- and five-star hotels, 17 beach clubs, a marina with 840 moorings, a number of retail outlets, a football stadium, an Olympic-size swimming pool, gyms, tennis courts, aqua-park, equestrian centre and, importantly for Terry, three golf courses. "My villa overlooks a golf course," he says. "You know what us footballers are like, any excuse to get our clubs out," he adds, laughing.

The Chelsea and England captain has even had an input into the design of his Moroccan property, an option he says appealed greatly to him as well as Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand.

However, if you don't feel your salary quite matches up to that of some of the country's top footballers, fear not: A Moroccan property in this area will probably not be totally out of reach. Townhouses and villas are currently available through New Era in the Le Village de Sport development, also in Saidia, from £160,000 for a townhouse, while villas start from £260,000.

Whether you're an international footballer, someone looking for a holiday home in an up-and-coming location or hoping to make a tidy sum from your overseas abode, then the purchase of a Moroccan property is well worth considering.

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Related Moroccan property articles:
Morocco attracts British property buyers
Morocco property investment set to grow

Article first published 12 June 2007