Rabat – Morocco has recorded 1.5 million tourist arrivals in the first four months of 2022, according to the Directorate of Treasury and External Finance.
The treasury office attributed the rebound in the tourism sector to the return of foreign tourists to the country, and long-awaited visits by Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) for holidays.
The office emphasized that the sector has seen a positive trend since the start of 2022 when Morocco’s border reopened on February 7.
Tourists and diaspora members purchased nearly 20% more overnight stays in the country compared to last year, while numbers are still down compared to pre-pandemic 2019 when overnight stays were nearly three times as high as current numbers.
The Moroccan government is hoping for further improvement in the sector, with the recent easing of restrictions and significant governmental efforts to revive the vital Moroccan tourism industry.
Both vaccinated and unvaccinated tourists and diaspora members are currently eligible to access the North African country.
Passengers, however, will have to either present a valid proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test.
The government is also set to launch the “Operation Marhaba 2022,” an initiative that facilitates the transit of Moroccan diaspora members who return to Morocco for summer vacations.
Operation Marhaba starts in June and ends in September.
Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism has shared data that show a gradual recovery of the country’s renowned tourism sector this month, showcasing that the industry is on track to recover from the losses it suffered during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.
Minister of Tourism Fatim-Zahra Ammor said that Morocco’s tourism revenues reached MAD 9.5 billion, nearly $1 billion, at the end of March 2022.
The numbers represent an 80% increase compared to the same period in 2021.
