The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reports that the MENA region recorded a solid performance (+15%) in the first quarter of this year, positioning itself as the first region in the world to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Morocco is doing even better, with tourism revenues up 52% in the first quarter of this year compared to pre-pandemic (2019) levels. And for good reason: four million tourists arrived in the country in the first four months of this year, an increase of 19% compared to 2019.
This development is no coincidence. It must be said that a whole strategy has been put in place to attract visitors from worldwide by launching international campaigns such as Morocco's. As a result, tourism revenues have reached 25 billion dirhams. And the best is yet to come. The latest survey shows that almost 70% of the country's tourism professionals expect even better results for the upcoming 2023 summer season.
Morocco's tourism sector is strategically important as it is a significant source of foreign currency and provides some 565,000 jobs, the daily points out. In recent years, the government has sought to boost the sector by developing more infrastructure and expanding the range of tourist attractions.
The country has adopted a new roadmap (2023-2026) with a budget of 6.1 billion dirhams, which aims to attract 17.5 million tourists and reposition tourism as one of the main sectors of the economy. The plan also aims to generate 120 billion dirhams in foreign exchange earnings and create 200,000 new direct and indirect jobs.