TRAVEL AND TOURISM

Morocco breaking tourism records and is now region’s top destination

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

In 2024, it surpassed Egypt to become North Africa’s most popular tourist location. It aims to continue this trend and is investing heavily.

Morocco’s tourism sector is continuing its strong growth trend, with arrivals by the end of August 2025 being 15% ahead of the same period in 2024, according to Ministry of Tourism figures released this week. To date, it has welcomed 13.5-million tourists in 2025.

This builds on the country’s strong performance for the full 2024 year, when it attracted 17.4-million visitors, beating Egypt’s 15.7-million tourists and thereby becoming North Africa’s tourism leader.

As tourism development continues at pace and Morocco looks ahead to co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the government has awarded parallel expansion contracts for two key airports at Marrakech and Agadir. The cost of the redevelopments is approximately US$3.8-billion and will double national passenger-handling capacity ahead of the soccer tournament.

A third contract – to expand the airport in Morocco’s largest city and economic hub of Casablanca – is expected to be awarded before the end of 2025.

Photo: Gabriel Garcia from Pexels

The aim is to increase national airport capacity from about 38-million passengers to 80-million passengers by 2030, aligning aviation investments with broader preparations for the 2030 World Cup. Morocco is a tournament co-host along with Portugal and Spain.

Earlier this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed Morocco’s airports plan, saying the country’s airports modernisation will strengthen the country’s position as a major global and regional aviation hub.

Enhancing Morocco’s tourism offerings

Airports expansion and modernisation is a key element of the country’s Tourism Roadmap 2023-2026. The roadmap prioritises strengthening air connectivity and enhancing tourism offerings through various incentive mechanisms designed to stimulate investment in entertainment and accommodation.

“Morocco’s tourism growth significantly outpaces global trends, with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) forecasting worldwide tourism growth not to exceed 5% in 2025,” reports the news outlet Morocco World News.

It adds that Morocco aims to attract 26-million visitors by 2030, leveraging its role as a World Cup co-host and capitalising on expanded air connectivity, diversified travel experiences and large-scale hotel upgrades.

Enhancing Africa’s travel and tourism sector was a focus of the African Marketing Confederation’s 2025 annual conference held in Ghana recently. The AMC is collaborating with UN Tourism on its Brand Africa initiative to create a responsible, sustainable and attractive pan-African tourism brand.

A passenger jet at a gate viewed from the nose with a sunset sky and dark clouds in the background

Airline body urges African governments to act on opening market access

‘Strategies don’t move people. Now it is time to make the difficult decisions and execute them,’ senior executive stresses.

Two hockey players battle for the puck along the boards during a game one in blue and one in white

Uganda Tourism Board partners with major European ice hockey league

UTB says its ambition is to turn the visibility into interest, bookings and more visitors choosing to explore Uganda.

Two young women sit together looking at a tablet one in an orange sweater holds a bottle while the other in a pink hoodie eyes the screen

Researchers explain why 10-second micro ads outperform longer spots

Short ads shown on TV increased website visits within five minutes of airing by 10-40% compared with longer advertisements.

Worker on a ladder painting the yellow storefront of a corner shop labeled supeco and label vie with shoppers and parked vehicles nearby

Competition continues to grow in the Moroccan supermarket sector

Supeco’s rapid expansion shows how the discount model is becoming a bigger part of grocery retail in the North African country.

Gold hotel toiletries sachets arranged on a marble bathroom counter including a vanity kit and shower gel beside a glass

Study identifies harmful paradox behind well-meaning green efforts

Consumers reward visible eco-friendly additions such as reusable bottles, but give little credit to businesses that reduce or remove products.

Medical professional in a white coat and pink hairnet demonstrates handwashing at a stainless steel station while soldiers watch nearby

President Mahama commissions expanded evaporated milk facility in Ghana

Nestlé believes Ghana will continue to play a leading role in the future of Central and West Africa.

Diverse group of people posing for a group photo in a bright lobby under an empa banner with 'this is possibility ' text above

Momentum beginning to build for 2027 ACCS gathering in Addis Ababa

Ethiopia’s marketers gather to celebrate hosting next year’s conference – but with an eye on the hard work ahead.

Young woman with curly hair smiling while looking at her phone outdoors wearing earphones

PwC report examines the future of African entertainment and media

Tech is creating more ways for audiences to connect, but lasting value will come from understanding the people behind those connections.

Four professionals in blue protective coats and hairnets cut a blue ribbon during a factory ceremony celebrating a ribbon cutting event

Unilever investment expands its Vaseline production capacity in Africa

The new production line at the historic Maydon Wharf facility in Durban will address growing international demand.

Group of formally dressed award winners posing on stage with trophies at the world cruise awards ceremony

World MICE Awards in Jamaica honour best African and global achievers

Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and South Africa all feature in the African meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions awards.

Five adults in a rural village square talk holding notebooks and papers as they discuss together at sunset

AI won’t replace market research. But it will expose weak strategy

Much of the broader conversation around AI in market research assumes conditions that do not consistently exist across many African markets, writes Soyinka Witness.