Tourism in Morocco is gradually recovering from the Covid-19 crisis. While arrivals reached 14.5 million in 2023, tourism revenues are showing a decline, raising questions. To support professionals in the sector hit hard by the health crisis, an emergency plan of 2 billion dirhams had been put in place. In addition to the subsidies granted to the latter, these funds were used to modernize 800 hotels, recalled the Ministry of Tourism which recently announced that 14.5 million tourists visited Morocco in 2023. According to tourism expert, Zoubir Bouhoute, cited by Al3omk, these figures take into account both Moroccans living abroad (51%) and foreign tourists. Curiously, these record arrivals contrast with declining tourist revenues. A situation which raises questions, especially after Morocco’s decline from 71st place in 2021 to 82nd place in the 2024 ranking of the global tourism development index, produced by the World Economic Forum.
This decline would be mainly due to the poor grades obtained by Morocco in terms of natural and cultural resources, infrastructure and services. According to Bouhoute, overnight stays for Moroccan tourists pale in comparison to the 16 million overnight stays for foreigners, which shows low use of hotel services by Moroccans around the world during their visit to the kingdom. Figures which highlight the drop in tourism revenue which did not exceed $10 billion in 2023. The trend is likely to continue this year. In the first quarter of 2024, 56% of arriving tourists are foreigners and overnight stays increased by only 3%. Likewise, monthly tourism receipts show a decline compared to the last six months of 2023.
