Morocco’s Tourism Rebounds: Arrivals Up 12% Despite Recent Earthquake

In Morocco, tourism revenues are up +33% compared to 2022 during the summer season. As for tourist arrivals, they are up +12% compared to 2019. "The kingdom (which) is not really a winter destination on the French market" ranks third in the Top 10 of the Union of Tour Operating Companies (SETO), with a +60% increase, reports Tourmag. A reassuring upturn for SETO, which has invited the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) to participate in its forum scheduled for November 9 and 10 in Morocco, in solidarity with Moroccan professionals. "We have decided to make a trip, on November 9 and 10, with the main players in the profession and journalists to support the relaunch of the market," said René-Marc Chikli, the president of SETO, during a press briefing on October 2 in Paris.

The earthquake that occurred in Morocco on September 8, with its epicenter 71.8 km southwest of Marrakech in the High Atlas, hit Moroccan tourism hard. "On Saturday, I had 3 cancellations even before I got to the office, without any request for information. Tourists must not abandon us, the fashionable solidarity tourism is starting now!" a receptive agent contacted by phone said a month ago. In terms of travel bookings, "Morocco has fallen by 80% in the days following the earthquake," Raouf Benslimane, CEO of Thalasso n°1, had reported. We are now at -30% to -20%. We are seeing a very rapid recovery on the destination." According to the Orchestra barometer for L’Écho touristique, package sales to Morocco fell by 33% in September 2023 compared to September 2022.

Tourism professionals were then expressing great concerns. The information published or broadcast by certain media did not help matters. "Many media have been sensationalist, but fortunately the trade press has been there. We are still receiving calls from travelers who fear going to Tangier, it’s a bit like wondering if you should be afraid to go to Marseille, when the stay is in Lille," contextualizes Jihad Chakib, ONMT’s France director.