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Morocco Celebrates Tourism Triumph with Record 14.5 Million Visitors
Morocco is basking in the glow of a remarkable tourism milestone, having welcomed over 14.5 million visitors in 2023, marking a historic 34% increase from the previous year. This surge comes as a resounding success following the challenges posed by the Al Haouz earthquake, which had dealt a blow to this critical sector.
Driving this remarkable rebound is the significant contribution of Morocco's vast diaspora community, which accounted for 51% of arrivals, predominantly from Europe, representing a notable 27% year-over-year growth. Concurrently, foreign visitors increased by 41%, constituting 49% of total arrivals, underscoring the Kingdom's burgeoning appeal on the global tourism stage.
"We have exceeded expectations and surpassed our 2023 target of 13.5 million visitors despite the adversities we faced," declared Minister of Tourism Fatim-Zahra Ammor during a press conference today. She emphasized that this groundbreaking achievement "reaffirms our belief that efforts to promote and diversify source markets are yielding tangible results."
Looking ahead, Morocco aims to further bolster its tourism sector by setting an ambitious target of hosting 17.5 million annual visitors by 2026. The Ministry intends to achieve this goal by introducing more direct flights and leveraging Morocco’s role as a co-host of the 2026 World Cup.
In a bold projection, Ammor envisaged the possibility of attracting 26 million tourists by 2030 on the global stage. "This triumph exemplifies Morocco's resilience and underscores the effective collaboration between our government and the private sector," she asserted.
As visitor numbers soared in 2023, so did Morocco's tourism revenues, reaching a record MAD 97.4 billion ($9.8 billion) in November, marking a notable 15.8% year-over-year increase. With tourism driving economic growth at full throttle, expectations are high that this vital sector will serve as a linchpin for robust national economic development in the years ahead.