RABAT, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Morocco registered a record of 11.35 million tourists in 2017, up 10 percent compared to a year earlier, according to the statistics released by Tourism Ministry on Tuesday.

Arrivals from the traditional European markets showed an increase of 15 percent in German tourists, 9 percent in Dutch and Italian ones and 8 percent in French and Spanish visitors.

The increase was also driven by the surge in the emerging tourist markets especially China, Japan and Brazil.

Chinese arrivals jumped 151 percent, while Japanese and Brazilian visitors rose 39 and 38 percent respectively.

Morocco's main tourist destinations, Marrakesh and Agadir, grew 17 and 11 percent in tourist arrivals, while the old city of Fez and the desert town of Ouarzazate showed the highest increase with a growth of 39 and 37 percent.