FIFA World Cup Put Morocco Tourism Back on the Map

04-01-23

Morocco tourism had sustained a significant shock in the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis. But the country’s rising popularity in the FIFA World Cup 2022 turned the tables and now the tourism sector is reaping its benefits.

Hailed as the tournament “underdog”, Morocco’s World Cup performance in Qatar served as a massive marketing campaign for the country’s tourism sector and attracted the attention of fans all over the world.

Morocco made history this year by becoming the first African or Arab country to reach the semi-final of the world’s biggest football competition.

The rise in tourism activities was especially noted by booking agencies, as they reported a spike in hotel reservations following the end of the World Cup.

Some of the tourists who visited Morocco after the World Cup had never even heard of the country while some of them had heard of the country but were never encouraged to visit it.

Tourism is of vital importance to Morocco’s national economy, contributing 18.9% to the county’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019. The sector is a prime source of foreign currency in the country.

At the end of October 2022, tourism earned MAD 71.1 billion or $6.77 billion, a significant 148.9% year-on-year increase in activities. The country recorded 7.7 million tourist arrivals and 13.3 million overnight stays in registered accommodation facilities over the first nine months of 2022.