Morocco receives 10 million tourists in Jan-July

Morocco received 10 million tourists up to July this year, a record, as the country expects to outperform last year’s arrivals, the finance ministry said.

Arrivals in the first seven months were 15% up compared to the same period last year, it said.

In the month of July alone, 2.6 million people visited Morocco, up 20% from the same month last year, it said.

“The increase in arrivals augurs well for an exceptional summer season and adds to the optimism of tourism operators,” the tourism ministry had said in a statement in June.

The news came as European low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Wizzair open new routes connecting Morocco’s tourist hubs to European cities.

Morocco aims to increase tourist arrivals to 26 million by 2030, when the country will co-host the World Cup together with Spain and Portugal.