Morocco: 4 Million Tourists Visit in First Quarter of 2023

Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy Fatim-Zahra Ammor said that Morocco saw an influx of four million tourists in the first four months of 2023, an increase of 13% compared to 2019.

Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy Fatim-Zahra Ammor said that Morocco saw an influx of four million tourists in the first four months of 2023, an increase of 13% compared to 2019.

Responding to a question posed during a session of the House of Representatives, Ammor specified that tourist revenues at the end of March 2023 reached MAD 25 billion ($2.4 billion), 51% higher compared to 2019.

She also noted that 70% of tourists come from the European market and that 60% show a preference for the cities of Marrakech and Agadir.

Thanks to the emergency plan of MAD 2 billion, Morocco has succeeded, for the first time, in reaching MAD 93 billion ($9.2 billion) in tourist revenues in 2022, 16% higher compared to 2019.

Overnight stays in tourist accommodation establishments amounted to 19 million, up by 192% compared to 2021. Domestic tourism accounted for 42% of overnight stays, compared to 31% prior to COVID-19.

Simultaneously, the minister reiterated that the 2023-2026 roadmap, with a MAD 6.1 billion ($606 billion) budget, aims to attract 17.5 million tourists and reposition tourism as a basic sector of the national economy.

The roadmap also aims to generate MAD 120 billion ($11.9 billion) of foreign exchange earnings and create 200,000 new direct and indirect jobs.

The travel agency Miki Travel Asia has been recently appointed by the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) to represent Moroccan tourism in Asia, in an attempt to expand the market for Moroccan tourism further.

The agency and ONMT will collaborate to promote Morocco’s culture, history, and tourism to attract more Asian tourists to the North African country.

Morocco’s historic run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is said to be a participating cause of the influx of tourists the country has had this year.

The travel booking website Marrakech Best Of wrote in its Instagram story that “Marrakech is full at the moment! And it will certainly be this way until the end of September,” strongly urging travelers “to book everything in advance.”