Marrakech – Morocco’s travel receipts in foreign currency reached MAD 31 billion ($3.1 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 24% increase compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
The country welcomed 4.3 million tourists between January and March. The figure represents a 7% rise year-on-year, the ministry said in a statement.
The results suggest that tourists are spending significantly more per trip than they did a year ago, the ministry detailed, attributing this trend to a maturing tourism offer that is generating higher value per visitor.
Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor said the revenue growth signals an increasingly significant economic impact on local ecosystems. She added that the government’s objective is to consolidate this trajectory by continuing to develop and diversify the offer, improve the visitor experience, and strengthen the sector’s ability to create value across all regions of the country.
The Q1 figures come as Morocco continues to outperform its own strategic benchmarks. The country welcomed nearly 20 million tourists in 2025, while the sector’s roadmap had initially set a target of 17.5 million visitors by 2026.
Foreign currency travel revenues reached MAD 138 billion ($13.8 billion) in 2025, exceeding the 2026 target by MAD 18 billion ($1.8 billion) and achieving the goal a year ahead of schedule.
Direct employment in tourism reached 894,000 jobs in 2025, up from 802,000 in 2022. That represents an increase of 92,000 jobs over three years, surpassing the roadmap’s target of 80,000 additional positions by 2026.
The government’s 2023-2026 tourism roadmap, backed by an investment of $600 million, was designed to attract 17.5 million tourists, create 200,000 new jobs, and generate MAD 120 billion ($12 billion) in foreign currency revenue by 2026.
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Morocco cleared most of those targets ahead of schedule. The country now targets 20 million international visitors in 2026, and projects arrivals could surpass 26 million by 2030, with annual revenues reaching approximately MAD 200 billion ($20 billion).
The strong Q1 performance also coincides with growing international recognition of Morocco’s tourism sector. UN Tourism officially opened its first-ever thematic office in Africa last week in Rabat, establishing a permanent base dedicated to innovation across the continent’s tourism sector.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais described Morocco as a leading African model in innovative tourism development during the second edition of the International Conference on Technological Innovation and Tourism Investment held in Marrakech on April 25.
A late 2024 UN Tourism report noted that Morocco’s tourism sector contributed 7.3% to GDP by 2023. Tourism’s contribution to Morocco’s GDP climbed from 3.7% in 2020 to 7.3% in 2023. By 2024, the sector accounted for 12.3% of GDP.
The government’s strategy focuses on diversifying attractions, upgrading hotels, doubling air capacity, and boosting marketing. Substantial investment is being directed toward expanding airport capacity in Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir, as well as developing transport networks, including high-speed rail.
Morocco is also preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. The event is expected to further accelerate tourism infrastructure development and international visitor flows in the years ahead.
