Morocco's tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, achieving revenues of 79.01 billion dirhams (approximately $8.6 billion) by July 2026. This figure reflects a substantial increase of 13.4% compared to the same timeframe last year, as reported by the Office des Changes. The continuous rise in international arrivals and overnight stays underscores the country's growing appeal as a travel destination, solidifying travel receipts as a crucial component of Morocco's foreign currency earnings during the initial seven months of the year.
Additionally, expenditures by Moroccans traveling abroad have also seen an uptick, climbing by 7.3% to 19.92 billion dirhams through July. Consequently, Morocco’s travel-services surplus soared to 59.08 billion dirhams, marking a significant 15.7% rise from the previous year. This growing surplus highlights the vital role tourism plays in the nation’s economy and its importance in maintaining a favorable balance of payments.
Visitor Numbers and Overnight Stays on the Rise
In the first half of 2026, Morocco welcomed nearly 9.4 million visitors, a commendable increase of 6% from the same period in 2025, according to data from the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF). Notably, several key European markets exhibited impressive growth, with arrivals from France increasing by 9%, Germany by 14%, Belgium by 9%, and the Netherlands by 10%. The data also revealed that Italy saw a 6% rise, while Poland experienced a significant surge of 32%. The British market grew by 4%, and arrivals from the United States rose by 9%. The notable increase from Poland underscores the potential of emerging source markets, as Morocco aims to diversify its tourism portfolio beyond traditional European clientele.
Accompanying this surge in visitor numbers is a corresponding increase in overnight stays at classified tourist accommodations across the country. Overnight stays rose by 9% through June, building upon a robust 12% increase recorded during the same period in the prior year, according to DEPF statistics. Ouarzazate led the way with a remarkable 23% increase in overnight stays, followed closely by Rabat, which saw a 20% rise. Other cities like Agadir and Casablanca recorded 11% growth, while Marrakech and Tangier each experienced a 10% increase. The steady rise in overnight stays across various destinations indicates a broadening of tourism growth, extending beyond Morocco's traditional hotspots.
Strong Performance and Future Outlook
By June, tourism revenues had already reached 64.9 billion dirhams, signifying a 15.9% increase from 2025. The DEPF data highlighted that the sector experienced robust growth throughout the first half of the year, with travel receipts soaring by 23.5% in the first quarter and 21.2% in the second quarter. The achievement of 79.01 billion dirhams by July evidences the sustained momentum as the country moves into the second half of the year. This growth is particularly significant for Morocco as tourism generates essential foreign currency, thus supporting the nation’s external financial accounts.
As Morocco's tourism sector continues to flourish, other sources of foreign currency are also on the rise, with remittances from Moroccans abroad increasing by 8.1% to 74.78 billion dirhams through July. Furthermore, net foreign direct investment flows have surged by 58.5% to 29.47 billion dirhams, alongside net Moroccan direct investments abroad reaching 6.86 billion dirhams. With nearly 79 billion dirhams in travel receipts accumulated during the first seven months of 2026, tourism remains one of Morocco’s largest sources of foreign-currency earnings. The impressive 59.08 billion dirham travel surplus further emphasizes the sector's vital contribution to the country’s economic stability.
As Morocco enhances its international appeal, the combination of increased arrivals from established European markets and burgeoning interest from countries like Poland and the United States signifies a promising outlook for the tourism industry. With visitor numbers, overnight stays, and travel receipts all trending upward in 2026, Morocco’s tourism sector is poised to continue being a cornerstone of the nation’s foreign-currency earnings.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
