Morocco’s Tourism Surge: 13.5 Million Visitors Defy Global Trends

The number of tourists arriving in Morocco has reached 13.5 million visitors by the end of August, recording a growth of 15% compared to the year 2024, which represents three times the global average, reveals Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism, Handicrafts and Social and Solidarity Economy. The number of overnight stays has also exceeded 20 million. Another positive point: tourism revenues reached 67 billion dirhams at the end of July, an increase of 13%. These results reflect the effectiveness of the national roadmap, the confidence of tourists and the mobilization of all stakeholders, Ammor stressed in an interview with MAP.

What about the priorities for the next stage? The government will start in October the development of a new roadmap for the 2027-2030 period, aimed at consolidating the achievements and accelerating the pace of development, confirmed the minister, specifying that this phase is based on excellence in performance, the achievement of territorial equity and the strengthening of sustainability. According to the official, the geographical and cultural diversity of Morocco offers natural opportunities to distribute tourists among the different destinations, but the current growth requires anticipating the challenges.

It emerges from her explanations that the government is working on the development of new thematic offers including mountain sports, the desert, cultural tourism and short stays, while promoting home-stay accommodation. It is also strengthening domestic air connectivity to facilitate the mobility of tourists and encourage them to discover new regions. Referring to the slogan of this year’s World Tourism Day "Tourism and Sustainable Transformation", Ammor stressed that sustainability is not only an objective, but the very essence of national tourism action.

The government has launched programs and structures such as "Go Siyaha" for green growth, as well as initiatives to enhance tourist villages, in addition to developing legislation encouraging responsible tourism such as home-stay accommodation, the minister recalled, stressing the importance of innovation in the sector. The government is already supporting the creation of new digital and cultural tourism experiences through incubators and emerging projects.

For Ammor, the preparations for hosting international sporting events are an opportunity to anchor a sustainable legacy. The current roadmap is a solid foundation, and these events have given it new momentum for its implementation, she estimated.