Casablanca – Morocco has strengthened its position in the global tourism sector, climbing seven places to 70th among 110 economies in the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Travel & Tourism Development Index. The country recorded a score of 3.84 out of 7, an increase of 5.5% compared with 2024 and significantly above the global average improvement of 2.1%.

The result comes as Morocco continues to record strong tourism activity, with international arrivals and travel receipts reaching high levels. At the same time, the latest index highlights areas where the country still has room to improve, particularly human capital, labor-market performance, digital capabilities and the broader socio-economic impact of tourism.

The WEF index measures the conditions that allow travel and tourism to develop rather than simply ranking countries according to visitor numbers or tourism revenues. Its assessment covers areas including tourism policies, business conditions, transport infrastructure, air connectivity, human resources, digital development, international openness, cultural and natural resources, price competitiveness and sustainability.

Morocco’s improvement therefore reflects progress across the wider environment supporting tourism. Between 2024 and 2026, 92% of the economies covered by the index improved their scores, compared with around 54% during the previous three-year period. The average global increase reached 2.1%, the strongest rate of improvement recorded since the pandemic.

Morocco’s seven-place rise places it second among the four North African economies included in the index. Egypt ranks 63rd globally with a score of 3.97, followed by Morocco at 70th with 3.84. Tunisia ranks 82nd with 3.62, while Algeria is 89th with 3.52.

Morocco recorded the strongest improvement among the four North African economies, with its score increasing 5.5% between 2024 and 2026. Algeria improved by 3.6% and Egypt by 2.1%, while Tunisia registered a slight decline.

The wider North African region has also benefited from stronger performance in cultural resources. Its score for this pillar increased by 18% between 2024 and 2026, one of the largest increases recorded internationally. The improvement reflects growing interest in tourism experiences connected to heritage, gastronomy, museums, festivals, traditions and the arts.

Morocco has considerable assets in these areas. Historic cities, architectural heritage, cultural traditions, gastronomy and natural attractions form an important part of the country’s tourism offer. The WEF ranking places Morocco 20th globally for cultural resources, making this one of its strongest areas within the index.

The country’s progress is taking place in a highly competitive regional environment. The average score for the Middle East and North Africa region reached 3.98, compared with 3.74 for North Africa. Gulf economies have raised their tourism capacity through major investments in airports, accommodation, entertainment, digital services and other infrastructure.

The United Arab Emirates ranks 22nd globally with a score of 4.56, followed by Saudi Arabia in 29th place with 4.45. Qatar ranks 47th, Bahrain 55th and Oman 62nd. Egypt occupies 63rd place, Morocco 70th and Jordan 73rd.

The difference between the Middle East and North Africa is particularly visible in air transport infrastructure and digital maturity. North Africa records an average air infrastructure score of 3.83, compared with 5.02 for the Middle East. Digital maturity also shows a significant gap, with scores of 4.47 and 5.75 respectively.

North Africa retains an advantage in price competitiveness, however, recording a score of 5.60 compared with 4.41 for the Middle East. This remains relevant as rising costs have become a growing issue for tourism destinations worldwide.

Morocco’s tourism performance in recent years provides important context for its improved position in the WEF index. The country welcomed 19.8 million international tourists in 2025, an increase of 14% from the previous year. Tourism receipts reached about $14.8 billion, rising by 21%.

The growth has continued into 2026, although at a more moderate pace. Morocco received about 14.1 million international visitors during the first eight months of the year, an increase of 4.5%, equivalent to roughly 608,000 additional visitors compared with the same period of 2025.

Tourism revenues have also maintained strong growth. Travel receipts reached about $8.14 billion during the first seven months of 2026, representing a 13.4% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. The figures reinforce tourism’s importance as a source of foreign-exchange earnings and economic activity.

The sector’s contribution extends to national output and employment. Tourism directly generated around $9.75 billion in GDP in 2025, equivalent to 5.9% of national economic output. It supported approximately 666,000 jobs, or 6.1% of total employment.

Domestic tourism adds another layer of resilience. Domestic travelers accounted for around 30.4% of domestic tourism spending, providing an additional source of demand when international travel patterns fluctuate.

Morocco has also continued to invest in the infrastructure required to accommodate higher tourism volumes. Airports, roads, ports and accommodation facilities have benefited from expansion and modernization programs. Passenger traffic at Moroccan airports exceeded 18.8 million during the first half of 2026, an increase of 8.83% compared with the same period of 2025.

Air connectivity remains particularly important as Morocco seeks to expand its international tourism markets. The national airline has continued increasing its fleet and network, while airport investment is being accelerated in preparation for expected growth in passenger traffic over the coming years.

The country is also preparing for a further increase in tourism demand linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Plans include additional accommodation capacity, improvements to transport infrastructure and the development of tourism services. Previous sector targets have included adding tens of thousands of hotel beds and raising annual visitor capacity toward 26 million tourists.

The expansion of physical infrastructure is accompanied by a need to improve the quality and availability of skilled workers. This is one of the areas where the WEF index identifies a significant weakness. Morocco ranks 101st globally for human capital and the labor market.

The ranking reflects a challenge that becomes more important as the sector moves toward higher-value tourism. Hotels, restaurants, travel companies, cultural institutions and transport operators increasingly require workers with specialized hospitality skills, language abilities, digital knowledge and technical expertise.

Improving human capital can also strengthen the economic benefits generated by tourism. Greater participation by local businesses and workers can increase the share of visitor spending retained within the domestic economy. Stronger links between tourism and agriculture, handicrafts, transport, entertainment, cultural services and other activities can further expand the sector’s economic impact.

The WEF places Morocco 107th globally for the socio-economic impact of travel and tourism. This is one of the largest gaps between the country’s tourism strengths and weaknesses in the index. Morocco’s strong visitor numbers and growing revenues have therefore been accompanied by a need to increase the sector’s contribution to employment quality, local businesses and communities.

Digital development is another area where further progress could support the sector. Morocco ranks 79th for information and communications technology. Digital booking platforms, electronic payments, online destination marketing, personalized travel services and data-based tourism management are becoming increasingly important in international tourism.

Morocco also ranks 86th for health and hygiene, while its accommodation and investment environment ranks 65th. Transport infrastructure provides a stronger position, with the country ranking 50th for air transport and 64th for ground and port infrastructure.

Tourism policy and enabling conditions are another area of relative strength, with Morocco ranked 48th globally. The country also ranks 60th for its business environment, 43rd for openness and 50th for safety and security.

Price competitiveness, however, remains an issue. Morocco ranks 56th globally in this area, while the WEF reports that price competitiveness deteriorated in around three-quarters of the economies covered between 2024 and 2026. Higher transportation, accommodation, energy and labor costs are affecting destinations worldwide.

Sustainability is also becoming more important as visitor numbers rise. Morocco ranks 54th for the sustainability of tourism demand and 63rd for environmental sustainability. These indicators come as destinations face greater pressure to manage tourism growth without placing excessive demands on infrastructure, communities and natural resources.

The global tourism sector is itself entering a new phase. International tourist arrivals reached 1.5 billion in 2025, up 5% from the previous year and 4.4% above the 2019 level. Travel and tourism generated an estimated $11.6 trillion in total economic activity and supported 366 million jobs worldwide.

The scale of this expansion is increasing competition among destinations. Countries are investing in airports, hotels, digital services, cultural attractions and tourism infrastructure while seeking to control costs and respond to shortages of skilled workers.

For Morocco, the improvement in the 2026 WEF index reflects progress in many of the conditions required to compete in this environment. Its cultural resources, tourism policies, openness, safety and transport infrastructure provide important strengths, while visitor numbers and tourism receipts continue to grow.

The index also points to the areas that will shape the next phase of development. Improving workforce skills, strengthening digital services, increasing local economic participation, maintaining price competitiveness and managing environmental pressures will influence how effectively Morocco can convert rising tourism demand into wider economic benefits.

The country’s 70th position globally therefore comes alongside a sector that is expanding rapidly but operating in an increasingly competitive international market. Morocco has strengthened its tourism infrastructure and international appeal, while the remaining gaps in human capital and socio-economic impact underline the importance of improving the quality and distribution of the value generated by tourism as the sector continues to expand.