Rabat – Minister of Tourism Fatim-Zahra Ammor recalled today Morocco’s tourism momentum, saying the country is increasingly becoming a destination that travelers plan for in advance.
Ammor said 33% of tourists now book their stay between two weeks and a month before departure, compared to 21% in 2019.
For the minister, who made her remarks in a meeting with members of the National Tourism Confederation (CNT), this confirms Morocco’s position as a “carefully planned destination.
The average length of stay now stands at around seven days, she said, adding that the number is consistent with Morocco’s proximity to markets.
Ammor also recalled Morocco’s tourism revenues, which increased by 13%, reaching MAD 67 million by the end of July.
As for domestic tourism, the sector improved by 8% by the end of July, while Moroccan departures abroad declined by 25% compared to 2024.
She said that reflects a growing preference among Moroccans to spend their holidays at home.
Hamid Bentahar, CNT President, called on public and private actors to work together to contribute to the sector’s overall performance. He said that CNT reviewed a very positive assessment of the sector during the summer season.
Morocco attracted 13.5 million tourists by the end of August, according to recent statistics from the Ministry of Tourism.
The ministry said last week that the number represented a 15% increase compared to the same period last year. This summer, between July and August, Morocco attracted record-breaking figures of 4.6 million tourists.
The statement said the number reflects a continuous growth momentum in the sector, indicating that the summer season was notably marked by strong tourist arrivals among Moroccans living abroad.
Their arrivals amounted to 3 million between July and August, with the number showing a 13% increase compared to the last period in 2024.
“This performance reflects both the deep attachment of MREs to their homeland and Morocco’s ability to attract a large number of international tourists,” the statement said.
The ministry’s remarks are another response to claims and rumors that swept social media during the summer season, alleging that a few thousand Moroccans have chosen Morocco as a destination for their summer break.
The ministry, however, stressed that the data issued recently confirm Morocco’s growing appeal and the “relevance of the 2023-2026 Tourism roadmap, which places particular emphasis on strengthening air connectivity and enriching the tourism offer through various incentive mechanisms designed to stimulate investment in entertainment and accommodation.”
It concluded that the performance “stands out even more given that by comparison, global tourism growth is not expected to exceed 5% in 2025,” citing forecasts from the World Tourism Organization.
Morocco attracted 17.4 million tourists last year, setting a record-breaking that exceeded its forecast. The North African kingdom seeks to surpass the number and reach 26 million tourists by 2030.
The tourism appeal made Morocco surpass Egypt in terms of the number of arrivals.
