Tourism experts hail Morocco’s record growth as proof of long-term strategy success

Moroccan tourism professionals say the country’s designation as the best-performing destination in Africa and the Middle East during the first half of 2025, with a 19 percent growth rate, is the result of years of coordinated efforts to enhance air connectivity, diversify offerings, and strengthen global promotion of the Moroccan brand.

The ranking, published by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), reflects a performance that outpaces regional peers. 

Experts note that it validates Morocco’s 2023–2026 tourism roadmap, which focuses on territorial attractiveness, product diversity, and visitor experience improvement.

Mustapha Amalik‏, hotelier and secretary-general of the Marrakech Regional Tourism Council, said the UN recognition “crowns collective work by both public and private actors.” 

He added that Morocco’s unprecedented visibility following its historic 2022 World Cup run had a lasting marketing impact: “The Atlas Lions’ success offered Morocco a global spotlight that translated into visitor curiosity and new markets seeking authenticity and culture.”

He credited the expansion of direct flights, including low-cost connections and new routes operated by major carriers, as a logistical breakthrough that allowed Morocco to capture distant and nontraditional markets. 

“Air connectivity remains a cornerstone of competitiveness,” Amalick said, adding that improved infrastructure and upgraded hotels and cultural facilities have made the national offer “more integrated, diverse, and regionally balanced.”

For his part, Jamal Saadi, former president of the Moroccan Federation of Tourist Guides, stressed that the UN data “reflects tangible results of long-term policy coordination.” 

He emphasized the link between air transport and accommodation capacity, saying: “Every hotel room requires a plane seat, and both have advanced together under the new tourism roadmap.”

Saadi noted the Moroccan National Tourist Office’s successful negotiations with international airlines and partners, leading to “a broader and more diversified visitor base.”

 However, he cautioned that the progress “should not mask remaining challenges,” including the need to expand capacity and ensure territorial equity by investing in underrepresented regions with rich natural and cultural potential.

He urged authorities to activate tourism in coastal, mountain, and desert areas, arguing that many landscapes “remain outside global attention despite their power to drive local development and generate sustainable jobs.”