Tourist arrivals to Morocco increased 9% in the first semester of 2017

Tourist arrivals to Morocco have increase by 9% in the first semester of 2017 compared to the previous year, Map news agency reported on Wednesday. The Ministry of Tourism, Air Transport, Craft and Social Economy announced in a statement that 4, 6 million tourists visited Morocco between January and June of the current year.

The results show a significant performance of the tradition European market. According to the ministry, tourists coming from the United States grew by 27%, followed by Germany 12%, the Netherlands 8%; Spain 7% and France 5%.

China on the other hand recorded a 565% increase, while Japan, South Africa and Brazil jumped by 46%, 42% and 41% respectively.

10.3 million tourists visited Morocco in 2016, a percentage that increased compared to 2015 by 1.5%.

Tourism is one of the main economic drivers in Morocco as it employs more than 500,000 people, nearly five percent of the country's total jobs, and represents 6.7 percent of Morocco's national economy.

In addition, revenues generated from foreign tourists amounted to 26.38 billion dirhams by the end of June, unlike last year when it reached 26.47 billion dirhams.