Holidays 2023: Moroccans still succumb to the charm of the seaside

At the end of the school exams and while the mercury is reaching peaks due to the heat wave, Moroccans are preparing, as is customary, to embark on their summer trips. According to the latest study by Sunergia, 49% of Moroccans plan to travel this summer. This is an increase of 3% compared to the previous year. In detail, 83% of people who wish to travel opt for national destinations, while 16% choose to cross borders. The study reveals that people who have opted for abroad are more men, people aged 25-34 and people aged 55 and over. So, which destinations are the most popular with Moroccan travelers? Moroccans tend to favor seaside destinations during the summer season, in line with established habits. The cities of the north, or even Taghazout, Saïdia and Oualidia, remain at the top of the list of the most favored seaside destinations. While Marrakech has been showing strong demand for some time, the North is also experiencing remarkable enthusiasm, with occupancy rates reaching almost 100%. While international travel remains popular with some, an evolution is beginning to take shape in the habits of Moroccan travelers. And this, because of the new complications encountered in obtaining Schengen visas. Thus, some are increasingly rushing to destinations offering advantages such as visa exemption, as is the case for Turkey for example, or to places where the procedures for obtaining a visa are more accessible, like Egypt or Thailand. What about inflation? While a large proportion of households are already starting to pack their bags, the survey conducted by Sunergia reveals that 35% of people belonging to the disadvantaged socio-economic categories (D and E) have no plans to travel this summer. This situation is none other than the result of inflation, as well as significant increases in the prices of air tickets, catering and accommodation planned for this year. According to the same source, people belonging to affluent categories A and B have, for their part, expressed a more marked intention to take advantage of the summer holidays this year, with an estimated percentage of 59%.