Morocco confirms its status as Africa’s top tourism destination in 2025

09-02-2026

Morocco has consolidated its position in 2025 as Africa’s leading tourism destination, becoming a continental benchmark thanks to sustained strategic planning and public policies designed to strengthen the sector. The North African country welcomed nearly 20 million visitors last year, representing growth of around 14% compared with 2024 and reinforcing its appeal as a global destination. This steady rise in arrivals reflects a roadmap that has prioritized market diversification, expanded air connectivity, upgrades to the tourism services offering, and international promotion aligned with high-impact events, according to recent reports from tourism authorities and industry sources.

Morocco’s tourism momentum is neither isolated nor accidental; it is the result of years of investment in infrastructure, workforce training, and positioning strategies that have successfully leveraged both domestic and external factors. By the end of 2025, official figures indicated that tourism had become the country’s leading source of foreign currency, surpassing remittances from Moroccans living abroad—an indicator of the sector’s growing economic weight within the national productive structure. This outcome also aligns with the expansion of direct air links with Europe and other regions, as well as the launch of new low-cost routes that have made it easier for millions of travelers to reach a wide range of Moroccan destinations.

A distinctive feature of this strategy has been the integration of major sporting events and international conferences as promotional levers. Morocco hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal—milestones that have drawn global media attention, strengthened the country’s tourism brand, and stimulated investment in hotels, transport infrastructure, and related services. Hosting events such as the World Water Congress and INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Rabat has also helped diversify the offering and connect tourism with other strategic industries.

Tourism analysts note that this growth is also grounded in public-private collaboration, with government acting as facilitator and regulator while private companies have stepped up investment in new capacity and experiences. In addition, the Moroccan diaspora plays a central role: between 6 and 7 million annual visitors are Moroccans residing abroad, a flow that not only boosts arrival figures but also strengthens cultural and economic ties between the country and its communities overseas.

Morocco’s geographical diversity—from Mediterranean and Atlantic beaches to deserts, mountains, and historic medinas—has been amplified through promotional campaigns that highlight not only natural and cultural heritage but also stability, modern infrastructure, and a strong perception of safety, attributes many travelers weigh when comparing African destinations. This integrated approach, combining natural assets with comfort and service credentials, has helped Morocco strike a balance between expanding accommodation capacity and preserving the quality of the visitor experience.

Looking ahead, Moroccan authorities have set even more ambitious targets: attracting around 30 million visitors by 2030. Achieving that goal will require maintaining a significant growth rate and deepening investment in connectivity, tourism training, hotel capacity expansion, and the modernization of both urban and rural infrastructure. To get there, Morocco plans to continue partnerships with international airlines, strengthen promotional presence in key source markets, and fully leverage the multiplier effects associated with global events such as the World Cup.

This recognition as Africa’s leading tourism destination also brings challenges, including ensuring that growth is distributed more evenly across all regions, managing pressure on natural and social resources, and guaranteeing that tourism development delivers broad-based, sustainable economic benefits. Even so, the results achieved to date suggest that Morocco has succeeded in building a robust tourism development and promotion strategy—one capable of generating considerable economic impact and positioning the country as a key player on the global tourism map.

Author: Isabella Trulli

In collaboration with:

This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies.

Legal notice