RABAT (BERNAMA-NNN-TAP) – A total of 4.2 million tourists visited Morocco during the first half of 2011, a rise of 6.3 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The upward trend was seen in arrivals from the North African kingdom’s major tourist markets, namely France (up 4.0 per cent), Germany (18 pct), Britain (12 pct), Italy (5.0 pct) and Belgium (17.0 pct).
However, the number of night stays recorded fell 2.0 per cent, except for the city of Agadir which saw a 4.0 per cent rise in the reporting period.
Morocco sought to attract 10 million tourists by 2010 under Vision 2010, but the global economic slump has had a clear impact on tourist flow.
Meanwhile, British last-minute holiday specialist Packyourbags.com said on Wednesday that it sees a positive return to Morocco booking levels since the Marrakesh bomb attack in April 2011.
It pointed out in a statement issued in London that holiday bookings to Morocco were returning to a level more in keeping with this time of year following the attack.
Packyourbags.com Managing Director Mark Kempster, who was in Marrakesh at the time of the attack, said this trend “is really encouraging”.
He added: “Recent figures show our bookings are bouncing back which is fantastic news and once again I think this demonstrates just how resilient British holidaymakers are.”
— BERNAMA-NNN-MAP
