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Morocco on course for record-breaking tourism year

By Gavin Gibbon
Tourists walking through the medina in Marrakech. The ancient alleyways and markets of Moroccan towns are a principal draw for tourists, says one expert Alamy via Reuters
Tourists walking through the medina in Marrakech. The ancient alleyways and markets of Moroccan towns are a principal draw for tourists, says one expert
  • Foreign visitors up by 13%
  • Top African nation for arrivals
  • Tourism vital for quake recovery

Morocco is on track to break its record for international visitors after reporting a 13 percent increase in the first seven months of the year.

Overnight stays in the North African country passed 15.35 million from January through to July, which was up 8 percent year on year.

International tourism accounted for 10.9 million of the total, while national tourism, at 4.4 million, was down by 3 percent, according to figures from the Moroccan Tourism Observatory.

In terms of foreign currency earnings from non-resident tourism, Morocco generated MAD59 billion ($5.9 billion) in the first seven months of this year, a 3.5 percent increase on the same period in 2023.

Morocco’s airports handled a record 18 million passengers, making it the leading African country for tourist arrivals and the 19th most visited country in the world, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation said.

It follows a record year for international arrivals into Morocco last year, when the country welcomed 14.5 million visitors, despite the earthquake that hit the country in September, which killed almost 3,000 people.

Around 60,000 homes and 585 schools were destroyed and the cost of rebuilding was estimated to be $12.3 billion.

Zina Bencheikh, managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Intrepid, says the importance of visiting and supporting local communities in Morocco could not be overestimated. 

“Travel still plays an important role in the country’s recovery, with many livelihoods depending on tourism,” she said in an interview with AGBI.

As part of its tourism development plan, the Moroccan government has set a target of 17.5 million annual visitors by 2026, increasing to 26 million by 2030, when Morocco will co-host the Fifa World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

In a bid to enhance its tourism offering, Morocco announced in July it has invested MAD7.9 billion to upgrade 21 old medinas across the country.

Medinas are an essential part of Morocco’s tourist proposition, according to Charlie Shepherd, founder of Epic Travel in Marrakech. 

“One of the principal reasons that people come to Morocco is to explore the medinas,” he said. 

“It is certainly a top-three reason. They like the labyrinthine quality – Marrakech with its 9,000 alleyways. It is a magical dream for people to be lost in a medieval maze.”

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