The Moroccan Ministry of Tourism announced on Thursday that Morocco received a record number of tourists during the year 2024, amounting to 17.4 million people, an increase of 20% over the previous year, and Moroccans abroad constitute nearly half of the total number.
Tourism represents about 7% of Morocco’s gross domestic product, and is a major source of employment and foreign currency.
The Ministry indicated that the number of arriving tourists witnessed an increase of 20% during 2024 on an annual basis, as the country received about 14.5 million tourists in 2023.
In 2022, the Moroccan government said that it seeks to attract 17.5 million tourists by 2026, especially since the Kingdom is about to organize major sporting events and international conferences, most notably the African Football Cup of Nations in 2025 and the World Cup in 2030 with the participation of Spain and Portugal.
The ministry expects Morocco to receive 26 million tourists by 2030 when it hosts the World Cup.
Tourism is the second source of foreign exchange in Morocco during 2023, with a value of $10 billion, after remittances from Moroccan expatriates abroad amounting to $11.6 billion in that year.
The numbers achieved in 2024 exceed what was recorded in 2019 by 35%, making Morocco the number one tourist destination in Africa.
While tourism revenue data has not been released during the year 2024, government estimates indicate that it will reach more than $11.4 billion.
Stimulating investments
Moroccan Tourism Minister Fatima Zahraa Amour said last month that her country continues to stimulate investments in the tourism sector with the approaching 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the Kingdom will host.
She stressed that the results of the tourism sector reflect “the strength of the vision that aims to attract 26 million tourists by 2030.”
Morocco seeks to “provide 150,000 beds by 2030, and enhance the entertainment offer in the country,” according to the minister.
Morocco has opened additional airlines to major tourist markets, while promoting new tourist destinations at home and encouraging hotel renovations.
According to the Moroccan exchange rate regulatory body, tourism revenues from January to November rose by 7.2% to a record level of 104 billion dirhams ($10.4 billion).
