Morocco welcomed 14.5 million visitors in 2023 and has already received 10 million visitors by the end of the first seven months of this year. While the initial prediction was an additional 1 million visitors in 2024, the Minister of Tourism has revealed that the current growth may lead to a new record of surpassing forecasts to reach 16 million visitors.
"The 2024 summer season has been excellent for Moroccan tourism," said the Minister of Tourism, Fatim-Zahra Ammor. She emphasized that the delays in certain destinations during the first fifteen days of July will not impact the high summer season, instilling a sense of confidence in the stakeholders about the resilience of Moroccan tourism.
Double-digit Growth in Moroccans Living Abroad
In July, Morocco's tourism increased significantly, with 2.6 million tourists visiting, a 20% increase compared to 2023. This growth was observed in both Moroccan residents living abroad (MREs), who saw a 23% increase, and foreign tourists, who saw a 14% increase. Initial figures for August also indicate positive trends for Morocco's main tourist destinations.
In August, overnight stays rose in the top four Moroccan tourist destinations. During July and August, the regions of Souss-Massa, the North (Tangier, Assilah, Mdiq), and Marrakech experienced a high influx of tourists, with overnight stays in classified hotel establishments increasing by 8%, 12%, and 6%, respectively. Even the Oriental region, which had a slow start in July, saw an improvement in August with a 5% increase in overnight stays in its hotel portfolio.
This growth could be explained by the constant strengthening of the air programming contracted by the ONMT for the Winter 2024 season, which has increased by 25% compared to 2023.