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MARRAKESH, Morocco (Reuters) - Morocco aims to draw 10 percent more visitors this year to help fill fast-growing hotel capacity and bolster tourism income after it slipped in 2009, industry and government officials said.

Heavy investment in hotels, resorts and holiday apartments has helped the north African country more than double tourism earnings in the past decade -- providing a lifeline for a government battling widespread poverty.

The number of arrivals kept growing last year despite the global economic downturn, with an increase of 6 percent, but income fell as tourists spent less.

"We aim to realise growth of 10 percent (in 2010 tourism numbers), or three times the world trend that is forecast," newly-appointed Tourism Minister Yassir Znagui said in a speech on the first day of industry event the Moroccan Travel Market.

Industry officials said the rise in tourist numbers hoped for this year would not come at the expense of profitability.

Last year visitor arrivals grew to 8.35 million while rival markets such as Spain and Tunisia fell, according to government figures.

But industry estimates show the number of hotel stays fell 1.6 percent and tourism income slid 5.7 percent to 52.4 billion dirhams.

"I think in 2010 we can achieve 6 percent growth in foreign currency earnings and get back to the level we were at in 2008," Othman Cherif Alami, Chairman of Morocco's National Tourism Federation (FNT), told Reuters.