Tourism investment in Morocco's eastern region totalled $340m in 2006, up from $23.2m in 2005, according to a survey of the Commerce, Industry and Services Chamber.
The survey noted that the tourism sector constituted 52.4% of overall investment in 2006 compared to 47.6% for other sectors. Twenty-eight tourism projects were approved in 2006, generating some 4,276 job opportunities, the survey pointed out.
Between 1995 through 2005, the number of tourists and guest nights rose by 21.1% and 22.7%, respectively. French citizens topped the list of tourists, followed by Spaniards, British, Algerians, Dutch, and Belgians.
Tourism receipts remain a principal source of foreign currency and help offset the trade deficit. The government has targeted the sector's development in the Vision 2010 strategy to attract 10m tourists by 2010.
Northern Morocco has a gigantic new port under construction to attract global trade. Tangier itself is undergoing a massive development.
In the twilight hours, there is hardly a folding chair left unoccupied on the terraces of Café Hafa. Hundreds of young men fill the public squares on the hill rising steeply up from the Bay of Tangier. Bees hover around glasses of sweet mint tea and the regulars while away the hours playing cards until the sun sets into the sea
Nov-2007 the Morocco’s transport minister confirmed Morocco plans to invest $2.61 billion to build a high-speed rail line linking the northern city of Tangier to the country's commercial capital, Casablanca. This plan will cut the journey between the two cities to two hours and 10 minutes instead of five hours and 45 minutes currently, and will have great impact on the fast development of Tangier.