Marrakech Tourism Surges: Over 520,000 Visitors in January as Air Travel Rebounds

Tourist arrivals increased in Marrakech during the month of January, where Menara airport recovered 101% of its air capacity with 524,309 travelers, reports the daily L’Économiste. "Marrakech is booming and we expected it. Despite 4 lost months in 2022, due to the closure of borders and health constraints imposed after the opening of the sky, the ochre city has managed to hold its own. The destination has attracted 2 million tourist arrivals in Marrakech, 195,000 in Essaouira and 87,000 in Haouz," it is reported.

In December, most accommodation establishments, especially vacation villages, 5-star hotels and luxury hotels and riads, achieved record occupancy rates of around 55% with 7 million overnight stays in the Marrakech-Safi region. For Hamid Bentahar, president of the Regional Tourism Council of Marrakech, these figures are encouraging, but call for "redoubling efforts".

By market, French tourists are in the lead with nearly 368,000 travelers who visited Marrakech. They are followed by British tourists with nearly 151,000 travelers and Spain, with 65,000 travelers, the daily notes, stressing that Marrakech continues to enjoy an "extraordinary" emotional capital and to arouse particular enthusiasm during European, Moroccan or end-of-year school holidays and events such as the Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) or the Marrakech du rire.