James Liang(L), executive chairman of Ctrip, the largest online travel agency in China, shakes hands with Adel El Fakir, general director of Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT), after signing a co-marketing partnership deal in Rabat, Morocco, Sept. 6, 2019. Ctrip signed on Friday a co-marketing partnership deal with ONMT to increase the flow of Chinese tourists to Morocco. (Photo by Aissa/Xinhua)

RABAT, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ctrip, the largest online travel agency in China, signed on Friday in Rabat a co-marketing partnership to develop the flows of Chinese tourists in Morocco.

According to Moroccan Tourism Ministry's data, 180,000 Chinese tourists visited Morocco in 2018.

Before the visa exemption announced in June 2016, Morocco received an average of less than 20,000 Chinese tourists per year. In 2017, this number has climbed to 118,000.

The partnership spans three years and aims at increasing the visibility of Morocco's destination in China, notably through digital advertising campaigns, the ONMT said in a statement.

"It will help achieving our goal of receiving some 500,000 Chinese tourists per year," it added.