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Morocco nears 2024 tourism target as numbers surge 14%

By Pramod Kumar
A view of Unesco World Heritage Site Aït Benhaddou. Morocco is aiming to attract more than 17.5 million tourists by 2026 Unsplash.com/Toa Heftiba
A view of Unesco World Heritage Site Aït Benhaddou. Morocco is aiming to attract more than 17.5 million tourists by 2026

Morocco has almost achieved 50 percent of its tourism target for 2024, according to a news report.

The country received 7.4 million tourists in the first six months of 2024, an increase of 14 percent year on year, Morocco World News reported, citing tourism ministry data. The annual target has been set at 15 million.

The ministry said tourism numbers are up 38 percent compared to 2019, continuing its upward trajectory.

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The North African country received 1.5 million tourists in June, up 10 percent year on year.

The country has set a target of receiving more than 17.5 million tourists by 2026.  

In order to achieve this goal, Morocco has been planning to double the capacity of its airports by 2035 as part of its efforts to host the Fifa World Cup.

The country’s airports serve up to 40 million passengers, and Mohamed Abdeljalil, minister of transport and logistics, has revealed he is aiming to increase that to 80 million in just over 10 years.

Moreover, Moroccan flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, is looking to quadruple its fleet by 2037 with the aim of transforming Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport into an intercontinental hub.

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