Gradual Recovery of Tourism Sector, Disrupted by Persistence of Pandemic (Department)

27 January 2022 Printable Version

Rabat - Tourism activity has experienced a gradual recovery, disrupted by the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, says the Department of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) under of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

"In the third quarter of 2021, the added value of the tourism sector increased by 70.2%, after a decline of 65.8% a year earlier. Taking into account an increase of 82.1% in the second quarter and a slowdown of 50.3% in the first quarter, the added value of this sector increased by an average of 34% at the end of September 2021," the DEPF points out in its economic report of January 2022.

Compared to the same period in 2019, the added value of this sector fell by 59.5%, after a decline of 54.6% at the end of September 2020, according to the same source.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the sector's indicators continue to recover, but at a slower pace, said the DEPF, adding that the suspension of passenger flights to and from Morocco, which came into force on November 29, aimed at curbing the spread of Omicron, has impacted the activity of this sector in December.

Indeed, tourism receipts strengthened by 32% in the first two months of Q4-2021, bringing their growth to +0.8% at the end of the first eleven months of the past year, after a drop of 5.6% at the end of September 2021 and a decline of 56.5% at the end of November 2020.

Compared to the end of November 2019, these receipts fell by 56.1% or 40.9 billion dirhams.

Arrivals to Morocco consolidated by 61.1% in the 4th quarter of 2021. This development includes an increase in arrivals of Moroccans living abroad (MRE) of 12.4% and in arrivals of foreign tourists by 209.3%.

The DEPF also noted that the share of foreign tourists in total arrivals rose during this quarter to 47.5%, after a share of 25% a year earlier and 63% in Q4-2019.

At the end of 2021, tourist arrivals increased by 34% compared to the previous year, while remaining down 71.2% compared to their level at the end of 2019.

Regarding overnight stays, they increased by 169.2% in October 2021.

This performance follows the increase in the number of overnight stays recorded by non-residents by 588.5% and the increase in the number of overnight stays recorded by residents (+60.4%).

At the end of the first ten months of 2021, the number of overnight increased by 21.5%, year-on-year. It is still down 64.5% compared to the level recorded at the end of October 2019.