CASABLANCA — Morocco’s tourism sector kept growing through the third quarter of 2026. About 15.7 million visitors had arrived by the end of September, according to figures reported by Morocco World News.
The numbers
- End of August: 14.1 million arrivals, up 4.5% on a year earlier, or roughly 608,000 additional visitors.
- August alone: more than 2 million visitors for the first time, up 3% on the previous year.
- First half of 2026: around 9.4 million visitors, up 6%, according to the finance ministry’s economic research department (DEPF).
- Tourism receipts: 64.9 billion dirhams by the end of June, up 15.9% year on year.
Revenue is growing faster than arrivals
Visitor numbers are growing more slowly than last year, when arrivals jumped 14% to a record 19.8 million. Revenues, however, are rising at a double-digit pace. This suggests that visitors are spending more per trip, and it matches the government’s stated aim of increasing the value generated by tourism rather than counting arrivals alone.
Which markets are growing
European markets still account for most arrivals. In the first half of the year, arrivals from Poland rose 32%, from Germany 14%, from the Netherlands 10%, and from France and Belgium 9% each. Over the first seven months, American visitors rose 7% to 308,324, while Canada recorded 155,201 arrivals, up 3%.
Ranking and targets
Morocco placed 70th out of 110 economies in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel and Tourism Development Index, seven places higher than in the previous edition. The government is aiming for 26 million tourists a year by 2030, the year Morocco co-hosts the FIFA World Cup. Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor has said the next phase must spread the benefits to more regions and more businesses in the sector.
Sources: Morocco World News, Hespress English, Maroc.ma (MAP/DEPF), North Africa Post.
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