Morocco is counting on the Shanghai Exhibition to strengthen its presence in the world’s largest tourism market.
The International Travel Fair 2025 kicked off today, Tuesday, in Shanghai, marking the largest event in the travel sector in China. Professionals from around the globe are participating, and the event will continue until Thursday at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. This strategic platform facilitates networking and business opportunities in the travel industry, featuring over 600 exhibitors from 80 countries and expecting around 15,000 industry visitors, in addition to more than 1,000 buyers representing 790 travel companies.
The Moroccan National Tourist Office has made a significant presence at the fair with a large delegation of Moroccan professionals and a rich program aimed at enhancing cooperation with the Chinese market. The office is also supporting the participation of fifteen Moroccan exhibitors, who are eager to showcase Morocco’s tourism potential and develop structural partnerships with Chinese stakeholders.
A notable Moroccan pavilion has been set up at the fair, participating in the official tour organized by “ITB China,” garnering special attention from the organizing committee, major tourism groups, and prominent Chinese officials, thereby enhancing Morocco’s visibility in the Asian tourism market.
Morocco aims to regain momentum after welcoming 142,000 Chinese tourists in 2019, before numbers plummeted during the pandemic. The kingdom recorded a remarkable recovery in 2024, with the number of Chinese visitors reaching 107,000, representing a 75% recovery compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This improvement is attributed to a proactive policy led by the Moroccan National Tourist Office, launching an ambitious action plan targeting the Chinese market through strategic partnerships, promotional campaigns, professional and media meetings, as well as organizing familiarization trips and promotional tours. The resumption of the direct flight between Casablanca and Beijing in January, along with the launch of the Casablanca-Shanghai route by China Eastern Airlines, has been a crucial part of this strategy.
Forecasts from the Chinese Academy of Tourism and the World Tourism Organization indicate an increase in outbound Chinese travelers from 87 million in 2023 to around 130 million in 2024, with projections of reaching 155 million in 2025 and 200 million by 2028, making China the largest global tourism market, accounting for one in ten tourists worldwide.
