Rabat – The Washington Post has featured Morocco as one of the world’s top travel destinations for the year 2023.
Citing tourism experts, the US-based media company stressed that Morocco was already emerging as a “major travel hot spot” even before the 2022 World Cup, where the Moroccan national football team made history by reaching the semi-finals of the tournament.
James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, told the Washington Post that his company believes Morocco will continue to be “incredibly popular in 2023, given the increase in flights into the destination and the ability to get out and have great experiences in one week, 10 day or two-week itineraries.”
The newspaper cited other expertise, including the vice president of experiences for Modern Adventure, who said that the company had a 53% increase in bookings compared to 2022 for Morocco.
“If you’re worried about your travel budget, consider visiting as a work exchange volunteer like reporter Andrea Sachs tried in Fez,” said the Washington Post report.
The Post’s coverage followed a similar report, in which the New York Times highlighted the tourist appeal of Morocco’s Essaouira.
In a glowing feature published on December 29, the Times zoomed in on the Moroccan city and its must-see sites.
Among other fun activities to try in Essaouira, the Times advised its readers to visit several places, including the city’s port, to explore the “distinctive blue fishing boats” and fish markets.
The New York Times also listed spots like the Salut Maroc Hotel, Dar Baba’s restaurant, and the Le Real Mogador art gallery.
Morocco’s cultural diversity and cuisine have continued to put the country on the lists of many tourists from across the world.
During the nine first months of 2022, Morocco recorded 7.7 million tourist arrivals as well as 13.3 million overnight stays in classified accommodation facilities. The number represented a 76 and 69% increase, respectively, compared to their pre-COVID levels.
By the end of October 2022, Morocco’s tourism revenues reached $6.77 billion, indicating a significant improvement of 148.9 compared to -0.6% a year earlier.
