A total of 9.266 million tourists have visited Morocco at the end of the first eight months of the year, up 6.4% compared to the same period in 2018, with +8.7% for foreign tourists (TES) and +4% for Moroccans living abroad (MRE), according to the Tourism Observatory.
All the main supply markets experienced increases during this period, notably Italy (+10%), the United Kingdom (+8%), France (+8%), Germany (+7%), Spain (+6%), Netherlands (+6%) and Belgium (+6%), says the Observatory in its latest note on the tourism arrivals in Morocco.
The total overnight stays spent in classified tourist accommodation establishments, for their part, increased by 5.3% compared to the same period in 2018 (+3.3% for non-resident tourists and 9.8% for residents), says the same source, adding that two tourist attractions alone, Marrakech and Agadir, generated 57% of the total overnight stays at the end of August 2019.
These two destinations recorded positive results (+8% for Marrakech and +2% for Agadir), continues the Observatory, noting that Tétouan, Tangier and Oujda have also shown good performances (+28%, +10% and +11%, respectively).
In August 2019 alone, the number of tourist arrivals at border crossings during the month of August decreased by 1% compared to 2018 (+11.3% for the TES and -7.6% for the MRE).
The primary supply markets recorded contrasting results. Belgium, Spain, and Germany recorded decreases of 5%, 4% and 3%, respectively, while the other markets recorded increases; in this case, the United Kingdom (+8%) and the United States (+6%).
At the same time, the number of overnight stays in classified establishments increased by 4% in August 2019 compared to 2018 (-1% for non-resident tourists and +12% for residents).
Geographically, the destinations of Rabat, Tétouan, and Casablanca recorded an increase in overnight stays of +23%, +31% and +14%, respectively, followed by Marrakech (+5%) and Tangier (+6%).