Casablanca – Morocco has continued to consolidate its position on the global tourism map, achieving significant progress in international rankings and reinforcing its reputation as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the world. Recent data from the tourism sector indicate that the Kingdom is benefiting from sustained growth in visitor arrivals, rising tourism revenues, and increasing international recognition, reflecting the impact of years of investment in infrastructure, connectivity, and destination development.

According to the latest edition of the World Tourism Barometer published by the United Nations Tourism, Morocco ranked 22nd globally in terms of international tourist arrivals during 2025 after welcoming approximately 19.8 million visitors. The result represents a notable improvement compared with previous years, allowing the country to gain three positions in a single year and twelve positions compared with 2019, when Morocco occupied 34th place worldwide.

The ranking highlights the growing attractiveness of Morocco as a destination capable of drawing visitors from a wide range of international markets. The country has benefited from increasing demand for cultural, leisure, coastal, adventure, and business tourism, while also strengthening its visibility among travelers seeking diverse experiences within a relatively short travel distance from major European markets.

Tourism revenues continue to rise

The country’s improved international standing is not limited to visitor numbers. Morocco has also strengthened its position in terms of tourism revenues, moving up to 31st place globally in international tourism receipts during 2025. Revenue generated by international tourism reached approximately $14.8 billion, underscoring the sector’s growing contribution to the national economy.

The increase in tourism earnings reflects both the rise in arrivals and higher visitor spending. Tourism revenues play a key role in generating foreign currency inflows, supporting employment, and stimulating economic activity across numerous sectors, including hospitality, transportation, food services, retail, entertainment, and cultural industries.

Industry observers note that the growth in receipts demonstrates Morocco’s ability to attract visitors who stay longer and consume a broader range of tourism services, contributing to greater economic value creation throughout the tourism ecosystem.

Long-term strategy supports growth

The sector’s performance has been supported by the implementation of Morocco’s tourism roadmap launched in 2023. The strategy focuses on strengthening several pillars of tourism development simultaneously, including the expansion of air connectivity, diversification of tourism offerings, enhancement of accommodation capacity, improvement of visitor experiences, and investment in human capital.

Over recent years, Morocco has significantly expanded its network of international air routes, facilitating access to major destinations across the country. Increased flight capacity has helped attract visitors from traditional European source markets while also supporting growth from emerging markets in North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

At the same time, investments in tourism infrastructure have contributed to improving the quality of services available to travelers. New hotel developments, upgraded transportation facilities, and enhanced tourism attractions have strengthened Morocco’s competitiveness in an increasingly crowded global marketplace.

Strong momentum continues in 2026

The positive trajectory observed in 2025 has continued into 2026. Official figures indicate that Morocco welcomed more than 7.7 million visitors during the first five months of the year, representing growth of approximately 7% compared with the same period in 2025.

The first quarter alone recorded an increase of nearly 7% in international tourist arrivals. This growth rate exceeds the global average of around 2% reported by UN Tourism, highlighting Morocco’s ability to outperform many competing destinations despite ongoing challenges facing the international travel industry.

The continued expansion reflects sustained demand for Moroccan tourism products and the effectiveness of efforts to improve destination visibility, connectivity, and service quality. It also demonstrates the sector’s resilience in an international environment characterized by changing travel patterns and increasing competition among tourism destinations.

Growing international recognition

Morocco’s steady rise in global rankings reflects broader international recognition of the country’s tourism potential. The Kingdom has become one of Africa’s leading tourism destinations and is increasingly viewed as a strategic gateway between Europe and Africa.

The country’s diverse tourism offering remains one of its key strengths. Visitors are drawn by a combination of historic cities, coastal resorts, mountain landscapes, desert experiences, cultural heritage sites, gastronomy, and traditional craftsmanship. This diversity enables Morocco to appeal to multiple market segments and reduce dependence on any single tourism product.

International recognition has also been strengthened through the hosting of major cultural, sporting, and business events, which contribute to raising the country’s profile among global audiences and attracting new visitor segments.

Looking toward 2030

The tourism sector is expected to remain a central pillar of Morocco’s economic development strategy in the coming years. Continued investment in infrastructure, transport connectivity, digital transformation, sustainability initiatives, and service quality is expected to support further growth.

Preparations linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal, are also anticipated to provide additional momentum for the tourism industry through infrastructure upgrades, increased international visibility, and expanded hospitality capacity.

With nearly 20 million visitors, rising tourism revenues, and a ranking that places it among the world’s top tourism destinations, Morocco is continuing to strengthen its international tourism profile. The latest results suggest that the Kingdom is steadily advancing toward its objective of securing a lasting position among the leading global tourism destinations by the end of the decade.