Morocco tourism jumps as World Cup approaches

Tourist arrivals in Morocco rose 14 percent last year as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 football World Cup.

With 19.8 million visitors in 2025 Morocco is nearing the 20-million threshold for the first time, Morocco World News reported, citing a tourism ministry statement.

No details were provided on year-end revenue collection. However, the ministry had previously reported that tourism earnings reached MAD124 billion ($13.6 billion) by the end of November, up 19 percent year on year.

Morocco’s tourism sector is more efficient, more sustainable, and capable of creating value across regions, tourism minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor said.

The country is targeting 26 million visitors annually by 2030, when it co-hosts the Fifa World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

Morocco’s budget deficit widened by nearly 50 percent in the first 11 months of 2025 to MAD68.8 billion, even though revenue swelled by around 16 percent.

In April last year, transport minister Abdul Samad Qayuh said the government planned to borrow to fund pre-World Cup infrastructure projects.

Further reading:

• Morocco regains investment-grade status after four years
• Morocco gets $316m loan for airport upgrades
• Farming and domestic demand drives growth in Morocco

The projects include a fast-train network linking Casablanca on the Atlantic coast with the central city of Marrakesh and other areas, a new civilian airport in Casablanca for MD28 billion, plus airport expansions in Rabat, Fez and other cities.

The Moroccan Airports Authority awarded contracts worth MAD4.4 billion in August to two local companies, Jet Contractors and SGTM, to expand the Marrakech-Menara and Agadir-Al Massira airports.