Stakeholders in the tourism sector and experts believe that the year 2026 could constitute a “strong transition phase” for tourism in Morocco, given the positive performances recorded in the first quarter.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Tourism, Crafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy, relayed by Minister Fatima Zahra Ammor on her Facebook account, Morocco welcomed around 4.3 million tourists during the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 7% compared to the same period of the year. previous.
The same source specifies that this performance confirms the positive dynamics experienced by the sector, supported by the improvement of air connectivity, the diversification of emitting markets and the strengthening of the tourist offer, with a notable performance recorded in March.
Tourism expert Zoubir Bouhoute indicates that the sector experienced strong growth at the start of the year, with increases exceeding 20% in January and February. He explains that this recovery was part of a positive dynamic, in the continuity of the growth observed previously, which fueled significant optimism for the sector.
However, from March onwards, cumulative growth slowed to +7%, reflecting a marked decline in monthly performance compared to the previous year. Mathematically, maintaining an overall rate of 7% after starting at 20% implies a poor performance in March.
According to the same expert, this slowdown can be explained by international economic factors, in particular the repercussions of the current war, which have affected air traffic and travel costs. Although Morocco remains a stable and safe destination, external effects influence tourism demand via global market fluctuations and transport costs.
He also points out that the rise in fuel prices, particularly kerosene, has led to an increase in air fares. Added to this is inflation, which reduces the purchasing power of tourists. These factors combined may not stop visitors from coming, but should reduce length of stay and tourism spending.
Zoubir Bouhoute concludes that the outlook remains positive, but with moderate growth estimated between 5% and 6%, adding that a cumulative increase of around 10% in the coming months would already be a satisfactory performance in the current context.
For his part, Soufiane Bechar, president of the Regional Association of the Hotel Industry of Drâa-Tafilalet and member of the National Federation of the Hotel Industry, emphasizes that the region is experiencing real dynamism tourism, visible through the increase in demand and indicators.
He explains that cooperation between regional authorities and professionals has made it possible to address the problem of the informal sector. Many operators have integrated the declaration system, making it possible to obtain a more faithful image of tourist activity.
According to him, the region now has around 9,000 beds, including 7,000 in tourist campsites and 2,000 previously unclassified. The integration of these capacities into official statistics has made it possible to better reflect real activity, now comparable to that of major national destinations such as Marrakech and Agadir.
