In 2020, tourism in Morocco represented 7% of the GDP. After the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector, the authorities are considering structural reforms to revive the sector.
Morocco will invest $580 million to revitalize the tourism sector in order to attract more tourists and strengthen foreign exchange reserves by 2026. The announcement was made by the government on Friday, March 17.
The Moroccan authorities plan to review the sector’s marketing plan as well as possible, develop more attractions for tourists, modernize hotels and build new ones, and also train more people in the tourist field. These reforms will aim to “attract nearly 17.5 million visitors, create 20,000 new direct or indirect jobs and generate 120 billion dirhams [nearly $12 billion] by 2026,” the statement said.
One of the most popular destinations in North Africa, Morocco had to deal with the impact of Covid-19, which for a long time blocked the exchange of international travelers. The government has announced that it wants to take advantage of the country’s exposure on the international scene following the 2022 World Cup and the recent bid for the 2030 World Cup to promote the Moroccan destination.
According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, in 2022 the country attracted 11 million tourists, compared to 13 million in 2019, or 84% of arrivals. Travel receipts increased by 116% to reach 91.3 billion dirhams, against 79 billion dirhams in 2019.
