Over 4 million foreign tourists expected in Morocco by 2004, minister

The number of foreign tourists could reach 4.5 million by 2004, said Moroccan tourism minister Hassan Sebbar.

In an interview with the Saudi daily Asharq Al Awsat, Sebbar said to reach this figure, it is necessary to increase hotel capacity to 30,000 beds.

He added that the number of tourists in Morocco knows an average increase of 17%, noting that the number of tourists who spend holidays in Morocco is expected to reach by the end of 2000 around 2.6 million while tourists on transit 300,000. In addition 1.7 million Moroccan expatriates are expected to spend their holidays in Morocco. The sector may yield this year currency receipts worth $ 2.2 billion.

Morocco, he added, has not benefited from the expansion of international tourism which showed during this period an annual increase of 3%.

Sebbar said that Agadir comes first in terms of tourists arrivals with 25%, followed by Marrakech with 22% while Casablanca, Fes, Ouarzazat and Tangier share 53%.

The number of Arab tourists visiting Morocco every year is estimated at 100,000, accounting for 5% to 6% of foreign tourists, the minister said.