Morocco’s Tourism Boom: A Bright Outlook for 2026
As we move beyond 2025, the year 2026 is poised to set remarkable new records in Morocco's tourism sector. Recent statistics released up until the end of July indicate a continued positive trend for national tourism, with travel revenues nearing 79 billion MAD. This figure represents a significant increase of 13.4% compared to the same period last year, marking a gain of approximately 9.36 billion MAD from the 69.64 billion MAD recorded at the same time last year. Such figures reinforce the tourism sector's essential role as a key contributor to Morocco's foreign earnings, and this performance is particularly noteworthy following an already exceptional year in 2025.
In that year, Morocco welcomed over 19.8 million tourists and generated around 138 billion MAD in travel revenues. The latest available data on visitor arrivals, published earlier this week by the Directorate of Financial Studies and Forecasts (DEPF), reported 9.4 million visitors by the end of June, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 6%. This surge has been driven by various European markets, including France (+9%), Germany (+14%), Belgium (+9%), the Netherlands (+10%), Italy (+6%), the United Kingdom (+4%), and Poland (+32%). Additionally, arrivals from the United States saw a 9% increase.
Aiming for 150 Billion MAD
Importantly, the tourism sector still possesses considerable potential for growth. With nearly 79 billion MAD collected by the end of July, there remains an estimated 71 billion MAD required to reach the ambitious target of 150 billion MAD for the entire year. This goal is well within reach, especially considering that August, the peak of the summer tourist season, has yet to yield its performance indicators in terms of arrivals and tourism revenues. Tourism has evolved beyond being merely a service-oriented activity aimed at foreign visitors; it has now become a significant source of foreign exchange for the Moroccan economy, comparable to other export sectors.
It is noteworthy that by the end of July, Moroccan travelers' expenditures abroad amounted to 19.92 billion MAD, reflecting a 7.3% increase. Consequently, the travel balance stood at a positive 59.09 billion MAD, compared to 51.08 billion MAD a year earlier, marking an enhancement of nearly 8 billion MAD or a robust 15.7% growth. This differential offers a different perspective on tourism performance. Morocco is no longer solely focused on increasing visitor numbers; instead, the focus has shifted to maximizing the economic value derived from their stays.
To achieve this, it is crucial to encourage a greater flow of tourism spending within the national economy, encompassing accommodation, dining, transportation, leisure, shopping, cultural experiences, and sports activities. The growth in revenues should be aligned with the increase in visitor numbers. If revenues rise significantly faster than visitor volume, Morocco will inherently enhance the economic value generated by its tourism activities. However, such growth must be complemented by an elevation in service quality, diversification of destinations, and an increase in both the duration and average spending of tourists' stays.
Furthermore, July confirmed the robustness of Morocco's air connectivity. Moroccan airports welcomed 22.28 million passengers during the first seven months of the year, marking an 8.77% increase compared to the previous year. International traffic, which constitutes the majority of airport activity, saw an 8.82% increase, totaling nearly 19.9 million passengers. Key cities like Marrakech, Casablanca, and Agadir accounted for a substantial portion of this growth, while Tangier, with 1.71 million passengers by the end of July, also demonstrated its increasing significance within the national air transport framework.
As reported by leseco.ma.
