Morocco's tourism earnings recorded, during the first ten months of 2007, an increase of 12.8 percent compared with the same period the previous year, Moroccan trade office said Tuesday.

The country's tourism earnings stood at some 49.5 billion dirhams (about US$6.4 billion) by end of last October, compared with 43.9 billion dirhams recorded in the same period in 2006, says the trade office.

When compared with the average earnings by end of October from the year 2002 to 2006, or about 31.9 billion dirhams, tourism earnings recorded an expansion of 55.1 percent.

On their part, Moroccans residing abroad (MRE) transferred a total of 46 billion dirhams compared with 39.4 billion the previous year, reflecting an increase of 16.6 percent.

Revenues transferred by MRE, when compared with the average earnings by end of October from the year 2002 to 2006, registered a progression of 42.9 percent or 32.2 billion dirhams, according to the same source. ( US$1 = 7.6 dirhams)

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2007)