Morocco has surged in popularity among Russian tourists, becoming the top African destination this May holiday according to a new study by MegaFon and reported by Russian news agency Interfax.
Morocco emerged as the top African destination for Russian tourists this month, while Vietnam and China topped the list for Asian destinations, and France remained the most preferred European destination.
According to the study, the influx of Russian tourists to Morocco witnessed a remarkable 60% annual increase during the current month.
Egypt, on the other hand, topped the list of African destinations in terms of the number of trips chosen by Russian citizens, with tourist arrivals to the continent increasing by over a third compared to the same period last year.
Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, Turkey remained the overall favorite destination for Russian tourists, with a 12% annual increase in arrivals.
Belarus followed in second place, while the top five most popular destinations also included the United Arab Emirates and Georgia.
Tourist arrivals to Asian countries surged by approximately 150%, while tourist flow from Russia to Europe remained relatively stagnant, recording a growth rate of just 1%.
The growing popularity of Morocco as a tourist destination among Russian visitors is attributed to several factors.
These include the post-pandemic recovery efforts, strategic partnerships with booking sites and global airlines, Morocco’s international exposure following the Atlas Lions’ participation in the Qatar World Cup, and the hosting of major global events such as the IMF meetings in Marrakech.
Russian tourists generally prefer beach destinations like Agadir, but also have continental options such as Turkey and neighboring countries.
“However, Morocco has recently begun opening up to the Russian market and Eastern European markets in general, facing stiff competition from Egypt in particular,” Zoubir Bouhoute, a tourism expert, told Hespress Ar.
Despite the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine on regional tourism dynamics, Morocco is actively pursuing its share of the Russian and other markets.
Morocco is enhancing air connectivity and diversifying its tourism offerings in line with the strategic roadmap for the tourism sector, which aims to provide products and packages tailored to the preferences and desires of tourists.
Opening up to the Russian market remains important in view of the country’s large population.
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