Morocco registers record 11.35 million tourists in 2017

Rabat, Feb 13 (IANS/MAP) Morocco registered a record of 11.35 million tourists in 2017, up by 10 per cent compared to a year earlier, according to the statistics released by Tourism Ministry on Tuesday.

Arrivals from the traditional European markets showed an increase of 15 per cent in German tourists, 9 per cent in Dutch and Italian tourists.

About 8 per cent increase was recorded in the arrivals of French and Spanish visitors. The increase was also driven by the surge in the emerging tourist markets especially China, Japan and Brazil.

Chinese arrivals jumped 151 per cent, while Japanese and Brazilian visitors rose 39 and 38 per cent respectively.

Morocco's main tourist destinations, Marrakesh and Agadir, witnessed 17 and 11 per cent increase in tourist arrivals, while the old city of Fez and the desert town of Ouarzazate showed the highest increase with a growth of 39 and 37 per cent.

--IANS/MAP

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