A recent report issued by Orbis Market Research Company has released information that forecasts Morocco’s hotel industry and tourism trends for 2020-2024. They established that on a global tourism scale, Morocco is two-points higher on average for its tourism arrivals during the period 2000-2018. They further confirmed that the country’s tourism growth between 2017-2018 increased by 8.5% with an estimated total of 11.3 million visitors.
Orbis stated the reason for tourism growth to be a result of the following:
1. An increase in Chinese tourists due to the relaxation of visa requirements. From 2015 to 2018, Chinese tourist arrivals increased tenfold from 10,000 to 180,000.
2. Boosted interest in travel to Morocco’s coastal cities, Essaouira and Agadir, expanded overall tourism. Travel to Essaouira increased by 13% in 2018 compared to 2017. Essaouira received 15% more tourists from 2017-2018.
3. An increase in traveler’s perceived notion of safety. The 2019 Travel Risk Map recorded that Morocco is as safe to travel to as the United States, Europeans countries, and Canada.
As a result of the momentum, Morocco is experiencing a driving force in its GDP growth. Tourism generated 70 Billion MAD in 2017. Orbis estimates these numbers will continue to rise. Since 2016, tourism from Morocco’s main markets has increased significantly. An expansion in tourism from the United States is measured at 29%; Germany at 15%; Netherlands and Italy at 9%; and France and Spain are up by 8%.
The report also took a look at the increase of tourism to the Southern areas of Morocco. It stated that due to the improvement of infrastructure in southern areas, Morocco’s three southern provinces, Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Guelmim-Oued Noun, and Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, all located in Western Sahara are bringing more tourism.