With a + 10% increase in tourist arrivals at border crossings at the end of November 2017, tourism activity has maintained the steady growth rate that has begun since the beginning of the year, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism, Air Transport, of Crafts and Social Economy
The main issuing markets of the Kingdom continue to show significant growth, in particular, Germany (+ 15%), the Netherlands (9%), Spain (+ 8%) and Italy (+9 %). In addition, emerging tourism markets for Morocco maintained their upward trend: + 173% for China, + 39% for Japan, + 28% for South Korea, + 30% for the United States and + 57% for Brazil, the ministry said in a statement on Moroccan tourism statistics.
As for the nights spent by classified tourist accommodation establishments, they experienced a strong growth of + 15% compared to the end of November 2017 (+ 18% for non-resident tourists and + 8% for residents).
This rise in overnight stays concerned all destinations in the kingdom. Tourism receipts in foreign currencies reached $ 6.89 billion at the end of November 2017, registering an increase of + 6.6% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The city of Marrakech (south of the country) crosses the bar of 2 million tourists welcomed in one year. The good behavior of the sector in 2017 has enabled the operators of the ocher city to record more than 7 million overnight stays, which is also a record. According to the figures of the Regional Center for Tourism (CRT) of Marrakech, the ocher city has recorded a 20% increase in arrivals in 2017 and 18% of overnight stays, which allowed it to improve the occupancy rate of 4 points to increase to 56%.
"The growth momentum that started at the beginning of the year and accelerated last November suggests that the year 2017 was exceptional, because for the first time in their history, hotels in the city were all complete during the last 3 days before the new year, "said Abdellatif Abouricha, spokesman for the CRT Marrakech.
According to him, these excellent results can be explained by several factors, but especially by the explosion of the air services of the city which went from 245 weekly flights to 361, between 2016 and 2017. "If this trend continues, we will reach 2 , 7 million arrivals in 2018. But, to go further, it will realize the goal of 630 flights per week is almost double today, "said Abouricha.
In order to reach arrival figures like the neighboring Canary Islands of Morocco (8 million), Marrakesh wants to diversify its tourist offer by positioning itself as a medical destination, golf, focusing on events, seniors and tourists. 'adventure…
For its part, the tourist center of Agadir (south-west of the country) registered an increase of + 12%. The city of Agadir has had an optimal filling with massive arrivals of Germans, Russians and Moroccans. Other destinations also performed well, especially the cities of Fez (center) and Tangiers (northern Morocco) with respective increases of + 39% and + 26%.
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