Morocco continues its strong tourism growth, welcoming over 18.1 million tourists via air traffic in the first seven months of the year.
This marks an 18.5% increase from last year, with a 14.8% rise in July alone, reflecting over a decade of consistent progress.
According to the Directorate of Studies and Financial Forecasts, part of the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance, the figures show a new record in passenger numbers. The increase, according to this institution, is due to the investment in companies such as Royal Air Maroc, which has considerably increased the number of lines and routes.
The report highlights the resilience of Moroccan airports to the reduction in international air traffic. While at the global level, Morocco has seen a 17.9% increase in international passenger arrivals and a 24.6% increase in flights within the territory.
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The data, provided by the National Airports Office (ONDA), show that the development and investment plan for infrastructures connecting the airports to the country’s main tourism hubs has borne fruit. In terms of distribution, the majority of passengers opted for Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca.
Although other airports such as Marrakech-Menara Airport and Agadir-Al Massira Airport increased by 30.2% and 34.6% respectively, in terms of total number of passengers, Casablanca Airport was the airport chosen by the largest number of travellers. Other major tourist spots such as Rabat-Salé Airport (40.4%), Aéroport Dakhla (33.2%) and Tangier-Ibn Battuta International Airport, with a 20% increase, were part of the sector’s growth.
However, in terms of the origin of the recipients, the variation is minimal. In first place are travellers from Europe, who, with a 19% increase, are now the most common profile in the departure lounges. The next most popular flights arriving at Moroccan terminals are from the Middle East, Africa, North America and the Maghreb region.
The trend in Morocco is quite positive. With a cumulative 18.1 million passengers in the first seven months of the year, arrivals to the national territory already exceed the total for the whole of 2023, where 14.5 million were reached, or the pre-pandemic figures where 14.1 million were reached in 2019. The target? To reach 26 million tourists by 2030.
