Fitch Solutions expects nearly 17 Mln tourist arrivals in Morocco in 2024

Morocco’s tourist arrivals are expected to reach 16.8 million in 2024 against the 14.5 million recorded in 2023, says Fitch Solutions Company in its latest business monitoring report.

The strong growth will be driven by increasing arrivals from key source markets such as France, Spain and Belgium. France is expected to be Morocco’s largest arrivals source market with a projected 4.5 million arrivals (or 26.9% of total arrivals).

It will be followed by Spain with 2.4 million arrivals (14.3% of total arrivals) in 2024 and Belgium with 931,290 arrivals (5.6% of total arrivals). Italy and Germany will be Morocco’s fourth and fifth largest arrivals source markets with a projected 921,400 arrivals (5.5% of total arrivals) and 732,760 arrivals (4.4% of total arrivals) respectively.

According to Fitch experts, Morocco’s arrivals will continue to expand during the upcoming four years, growing by an annual average of 6.2% y-o-y to 19.6 million.

They expect France to retain its ranking as Morocco’s largest arrivals source market in 2028 with a projected 5.2 million arrivals (26.8% of total arrivals). This will be followed by Spain with a projected 2.8 million arrivals (14.2% of total arrivals) in 2028. Italy will rise to third place in 2024 from fourth place in 2024 with a projected 1.12 million arrivals (5.7% of total arrivals). Belgium will rank fourth with a projected 1.09 million arrivals (5.6% of total arrivals) in 2028, lower than its third-place ranking in 2024.

The top five arrivals source markets will be completed by Germany with a projected 858,840 arrivals (4.4% of total arrivals) in 2028. Morocco’s top five arrivals by market rankings show that the country is a popular destination for European tourists.

Morocco’s warmer climate makes it an attractive destination for European tourists seeking beach holidays during the colder months. High living costs and tighter credit conditions are weighing on consumer spending in Europe. Furthermore, the availability of low-cost direct flight carriers between Europe and Morocco allows ease of travel to the North African Kingdom.

The country’s tourism offering includes culture, food and drink, historical sites such as Medina of Fez and the historic city of Meknes. Popular tourist activities and destinations also include beaches along both the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines, adventure activities such as rock climbing and trekking as well as natural attractions such as the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

Morocco’s tourism offering appeals to tourists beyond the European region. This presents an opportunity for the country to diversify its tourism source markets, as well as to widen its base of travelers to the market over the coming years.