Morocco's tourist arrivals reached a record 2.9 million in the first quarter of 2023. This is an increase of 17% compared to the same period in 2019.
The increased number of tourists in Morocco gives hope to the country, which aims to attract 17.5 million tourists and create 200,000 new jobs by 2026.
Data compiled by the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity attributed the upward trend to the growth of outbound tourist markets, including the Spanish, British, Italian and American markets, which increased by 45%, 28%, 9% and 5% respectively.
But recent visitor arrivals to Morocco are probably also linked to initiatives undertaken by the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) to boost the sector. The ONMT is seeking to position the country among the top 10 destinations worldwide.
Its new action plan for 2023-2026 entitled "Light in Action" focuses on improving four pillars: marketing, air transport, digital and distribution.
The ministry has pledged to redouble its efforts to improve marketing and enhance air connectivity throughout 2023.
Last year, the number of tourists in Morocco reached around 10.9 million, a sharp increase of +192% compared to the same period of 2021. Thus, the recovery rate compared to the same period of 2019 reached 84% (against 63% for the world average) in terms of tourist arrivals (99% for MREs and 72% for foreign tourists).
Foreign exchange earnings also reached a record 91 billion DH, an increase of 16% compared to 2019.