The Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasts reported that Morocco witnessed the arrival of the equivalent of 3.3 million tourists during the first quarter of 2024, a growth rate of 12.8 percent compared to the same period last year.
The directorate explained, in its latest bulletin on the situation, that “during the beginning of 2024, tourism sector indicators continued their momentum (the number of tourists and overnight stays).”
Thus, the flow of tourists to the destination “Morocco” witnessed a growth of 12.8 percent in the first quarter of the year 2024, supported by the performance of the months of March, February and January 2024 (which respectively reached plus 10.2 percent, plus 17.9 percent, and plus 10.4 percent). ).
The same source highlighted that, by category, this growth is due to an increase in the number of foreign tourists by 15.4 percent, and Moroccans residing abroad by 9.8 percent.
Compared to the first quarter of 2019, the volume of arrivals to Morocco increased by 31.6 percent.
In terms of the added value of the tourism sector, it is close to recovering its level recorded before the crisis (reference year 2019), that is, 98.3 percent on average, after 80.5 percent a year ago.
Moreover, the Directorate confirmed that the volume of overnight stays achieved in classified accommodation institutions increased by 7.3 percent, on an annual basis, for the first two months of 2024, supported by the growth of non-resident overnight stays by 11 percent, mitigated by the decline in residents’ overnight stays. By 1 percent.
Compared to the end of February 2019, these overnight stays increased by 11.1 percent, after an increase of 10.7 percent at the end of February 2024, and 3.6 percent at the end of February 2023.
Regarding tourism income, it declined by 6.7 percent on an annual basis at the end of February 2024, after a contraction of 10.5 percent a month before that. On the other hand, compared to those recorded before the crisis, these incomes remain remarkably high (plus 40.4 percent).
