Rabat – Morocco’s tourism sector generated revenues amounting to 440 billion dirhams over the 2001-2010, Tourism Minister Lahcen Haddad said.
The revenues represent 90% of the goals set for the tourism sector, Haddad said in an interview published on Friday by the Aqharq Al Awsat daily.
Haddad highlighted the importance of tourism in Morocco’s economy as the main source of foreign exchange earnings and the second largest contributor to the GDP, adding that the sector employs 470,000 people.
He added that Morocco achieved 97% of the objectives set in the strategy to attract 10 million annual tourists by 2010.Marrakech remains the most visited Moroccan city followed by the Atlantic city of Agadir, he underscored.
Haddad also pointed to “vision 2020”, a strategy providing for the creation of eight new resorts.
He also pointed out to his department’s efforts to attract more tourists from new markets such as China, India, Brazil and the Gulf Countries.
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