The Moroccan port city of Agadir on the Atlantic coast is attracting increasing numbers of domestic and foreign tourists.
By Mohamed Hikal
Rabat – Agadir has received 14 percent more tourists this year than last year. The capital of the Souss region welcomed 840,000 tourists in the first 10 months of 2017 and 960,000 in the first 10 months of 2018.
Agadir received 5 percent more domestic tourists, 330,000, in January to October this year than the same period in 2017, according to the Regional Council for Tourism in Agadir.
The French made up the largest number of foreign tourists at 150,000. French visits rose 25 percent from 120,000 in the same period last year.
After Moroccan and French tourists, the Germans ranked third at 110,000. The number of German tourists jumped by 5 percent since the first 10 months of last year.
Agadir was also more popular among British tourists, increasing 18 percent, this year than last. With under 90,000 tourists, the British were the fourth most common nationality that hotels, club villages, and other tourism facilities recorded.
Four-star establishments received the most tourists at 210,000, followed by holiday clubs at 200,000. Five-star hotels were the third most popular accommodation, receiving 170,000 tourists, followed by classified tourism residences with 160,000 tourists.
The global occupancy rate, or the percentage of rooms filled this year, reached 54 percent compared to 51 percent during the same period last year.
Overnight stays by French tourists rose by 23 percent to 100,000, according to the Regional Council for Tourism.
