In 2024, Morocco emerged as Africa’s most-visited tourist destination, knocking Egypt off the top spot. According to the latest UN Tourism data, Morocco welcomed 17.4 million international tourists in 2024, a 20% increase on 2023. In comparison, 15.7 million visitors went to Egypt in 2024.
Several factors contribute to this surge in tourism, including enhanced air connectivity, strategic marketing efforts, and a diverse range of attractions. From the vibrant cities of Marrakesh and Casablanca to serene beaches and off-the-beaten-path experiences, Morocco offers something for every type of traveller.
In this article, we focus on airline capacity data comparing Winter 2023 with Winter 2024, which has revealed more interesting factors behind Morocco’s tourism boost.
Western Europe Is Morocco’s Key Market
Moroccan international airline capacity by region is dominated by Western Europe, with 6.4 million seats scheduled to operate this winter (October 2024 – March 2025). This equates to a 19% increase in capacity (1 million additional seats) compared with Winter 2023. Airline capacity to North America – although smaller proportionally – has increased at a similar rate of 19% and capacity to Central/Eastern Europe has increased by 45% year-on-year.
Let’s take a look at Morocco’s largest country markets by capacity:
- France is Morocco’s largest market, with carriers operating 2.3 million seats in Winter 2024 (driven partly by demand from Moroccan expats in France)
- The next largest market is Spain, with 1.1 million seats
- There is also significant capacity growth year-on-year (YoY) from:
- The UK: 45%
- Spain and Portugal: 30%
- Switzerland: 27%
Low-Cost Carriers: The Driving Force Behind Increased Air Capacity
The surge in international capacity to Morocco is, unsurprisingly, driven by low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as Ryanair, easyJet, the Morocco registered LCC Air Arabia Maroc, Jet2.com and Transavia.com who are seeking new markets to penetrate as they continue to grow.
Ryanair is the largest LCC (in terms of operating capacity to Morocco) and here we set out some key insights and factors into the carrier’s growth:
- Over 325,000 additional seats were introduced in Winter 2024 (67% more than the next largest carrier easyJet who added 195,000 seats)
- 24 new international routes from Western Europe to Morocco were added in Winter 2024, which adds 10 routes net to its Western Europe-Morocco network
- The carrier was granted cabotage rights by the Moroccan government to become the only foreign carrier serving the domestic market and subsequently introduced 11 domestic routes in Morocco, 6 of which it is the sole operator – this is expected to boost internal connectivity and stimulate traffic growth in line with the government’s ambition to promote tourism in the Kingdom
Travellers Look to Alternatives to the Overcrowded Mediterranean Hotspots for Their Winter Sun
The Moroccan government has been investing heavily in boosting tourism through its Morocco Tourism Strategy 2023-26. This includes improving air connectivity by expanding airports and increasing direct flights, upgrading hospitality services to offer high quality accommodation at affordable prices, and promoting emerging destinations. Whilst Marrakesh and Casablanca remain the most popular destinations, Agadir, Tangier and Rabat are also seeing strong capacity growth, over 30% was introduced this Winter season (Nov 2024 – March 2025).
Airline capacity share for the Top 5 Moroccan destinations from Western Europe:
- Royal Air Maroc provides 58% of European capacity to Casablanca
- In the other four destinations Ryanair provides the biggest share of European capacity as we set out below:
- Agadir – 36%
- Marrakesh – 36%
- Rabat – 38%
- Tangier – 48%
- easyJet is a strong competitor to Agadir, Marrakesh and Rabat but does not serve Tangier where Air Arabia Maroc operates 32% of capacity
Interest in Marrakesh Extends Beyond Western Europe
Although proportionally smaller, capacity also increased to Morocco from Central/Eastern Europe in Winter 2024. Ryanair introduced flights from Krakow to Marrakesh, Wizz Air Malta introduced flights from Bucharest to Marrakesh and Wizz Air from Budapest to Marrakesh.
In the US, United Airlines introduced a 3-weekly flight from Newark to Marrakesh in October 24 and Delta Air Lines has announced a 3-weekly flight from Atlanta to Marrakesh, starting in October 25, reflecting the growing interest from US travellers to visit Morocco. United Airlines is operating 767-300ER on the route and Delta Air Lines the 767-400ER, both with a 3-cabin offering.
Consistent Weather Makes Morocco an Appealing Option for Travellers Seeking Winter Sun
Looking ahead, Morocco is set to become even more popular as a tourist destination. The country will co-host the Africa Cup of Nations in December 2025 and January 2026, followed by the FIFA World Cup in 2030 alongside Spain and Portugal. These high profile events are sure to attract even more international visitors.
This all aligns with the Moroccan government’s plans to welcome 17.5 million tourists by 2026 and at least 26 million by 2030. With its glorious weather, beautiful scenery and fascinating culture, Morocco offers a winning combination for travelers seeking winter sun and unique experiences.
