Tourism Flourishes as Morocco’s World Cup Gains Attract Visitors

Rabat – Morocco’s post-COVID economic recovery in tourism is receiving a major boost following the country’s historic World Cup performance.

Morocco’s impressive results at the World Cup in Qatar attracted the attention of fans all over the world, with Morocco becoming one of the most researched keywords on Google’s search engine.

Morocco made history this year by becoming the first African or Arab country to reach the semifinal of the world’s biggest football competition.

The country’s rising popularity as the tournament “underdog” helped contribute to efforts aiming to revive the tourism sector that had sustained a significant shock in the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis.

Earlier this week, a report from Morocco’s state-owned media Al-Oula highlighted the positive effect the World Cup has had on boosting the country’s attractivity as a hub for international tourists.

Focused on tourism in one of Morocco’s cultural capital Fez, the report showcased the growth in tourism activities following the end of the FIFA World Cup.

“The national team really helped boost its image as well as the country’s,” President of the Fez Regional Tourism Council, Aziz Labar told Al-Oula.

The rise in tourism activities was especially noted by booking agencies, as they reported a spike in hotel reservations following the end of the World Cup.

The World Cup effect was particularly notable in Fez, a city renowned for Marinid architecture, and centuries-old castles and schools. Fez is home to historical religious schools such as the 14th-century Bou Inania and Al Attarine, a testament to Morocco’s far-stretching history.

Some of the tourists who visited Morocco after the World Cup had never even heard of the country, one tourism professional told Al-Oula, adding that some of them had heard of the country but were never encouraged to visit it. Morocco’s World Cup performance served as a massive marketing campaign, and now the tourism sector is reaping the benefits.

Tourism is of vital importance to Morocco’s national economy, contributing 18.9% to the county’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019.

The sector is a prime source of foreign currency in the country.

At the end of October 2022, tourism revenues totaled MAD 71.1 billion or $6.77 billion, a significant 148.9% year-on-year increase in activities.

The country recorded 7.7 million tourist arrivals and 13.3 million overnight stays in registered accommodation facilities over the first nine months of 2022.