The tourist sector in Morocco has experienced a revival, especially in the city of Marrakech, which has been abandoned by tourists for a while. The French make up one-third of the tourists who recently arrived in Morocco, followed by the Spaniards, the British and the Germans.
The head of the Moroccan Observatory for Tourism Said Mahid said that tourism in Morocco has seen a clear rise since the beginning of the year, especially in Marrakech, stressing that the expectations for the coming months "excellent".
The recovery was recorded in the first two months of 2017. The annual increase in tourists last year was only 1.5 percent (10.3 million), he said.
In January and February, the number of arrivals to border posts increased by 10.5 percent compared to the same period a year ago, he said. Foreign tourists accounted for 14.4 percent and Moroccans living abroad 5.6 percent.
In terms of hotel accommodation, the sector witnessed an increase of 15.3 percent, especially in Marrakech, Agadir and Casablanca, according to the same source.
The first signs of advancement were recorded in November 2016, when the Kingdom hosted the International Climate Conference, which "strengthened Morocco's image as an attractive and safe destination", he said.
"Since November, we have been seeing a 10 per cent increase, mainly due to the launch of new airlines and the upgrading of tourist goods," said the head of the Observatory, adding that expectations for March and April were "excellent".
The French make up one-third of the tourists who recently arrived in Morocco, followed by the Spaniards, the British and the Germans.