According to recent statistics published by the department of Tourism, in the first half of the year a total of 2.21 million tourists visited Morocco meaning a rise of 8 % compared to the figures of 2004. Le Matin reports that the increase in tourist arrivals is explained by the rise recorded in Morocco's main tourism markets, in particular Western Europe and France.
The number of French tourists visiting Morocco this year was 671,341, marking a rise of 18 % compared to the first six months of 2004. Apart from France, Morocco attracted tourists from other European countries such as Spain (160,013 tourists), Britain (85,571), Germany (71,261), Belgium (58,715) and Italy (56,367). The Moroccan National office of tourism (ONMT) expects the number of tourists visiting Morocco to reach "6 million at the end of 2005".
