Morocco revamps tourism strategy ahead of 2030 World Cup

RABAT – The Moroccan government is accelerating its comprehensive reforms in the tourism sector by launching an extensive plan aimed at enhancing infrastructure and services while boosting competencies. This initiative is part of the nation's preparations to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030, which comes with significant opportunities to solidify Morocco’s position as an international tourist destination capable of accommodating increasing demand and achieving sustainable growth.

Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor unveiled an advanced plan to rehabilitate the sector within the framework of a comprehensive vision that aims to enhance the readiness of the tourism offering and strengthen Morocco’s competitiveness on the international stage. During her response to parliamentary inquiries earlier this week, the minister clarified that the government's strategy is built upon three main pillars: updating the legal framework governing tourism professions, supporting businesses, and enhancing the capacities of industry players.

In addition to these foundational reforms, there is a concerted effort to invest more in developing human capital through specialised training programmes. The ongoing efforts to rehabilitate tourism institutions, improve the quality of hotel services, and elevate the hospitality sector as a whole were emphasised by Ammor. She noted that the dynamism within the sector now extends beyond traditional destinations to encompass various regions of the country, indicating the success of the adopted approach in achieving a more balanced distribution of tourism activity, thereby enhancing Morocco's appeal as a holistic destination.

These efforts are part of a tourism roadmap initiated in 2023 and extending until 2026, focusing on stimulating investment, improving service quality, and expanding the tourism offering to cover all regions of the country. The tourism sector plays a significant role in the economy, contributing approximately 7 percent to the national GDP and providing thousands of direct jobs alongside over 3 million indirect jobs. The sector generates nearly 25,000 direct job opportunities annually.

Moreover, Morocco has recently ranked second in Africa in the 2026 China Ready Index, trailing only Egypt, which further strengthens its position as a promising destination for Chinese tourists amidst growing regional competition. The minister highlighted that the strategy relies on diversifying offerings across 12 regions, enabling each to capitalise on its unique tourism assets.

In parallel, a programme to develop 16 tourism villages has been launched with a budget of 188 million dirhams (approximately 18.8 million USD), coinciding with an enhancement of air connectivity that has seen a 30 percent increase in available seats compared to 2019. The sector achieved record performance in 2025, welcoming nearly 19.8 million tourists, a 14 percent increase from 2024 and a remarkable 53 percent rise since 2019. Revenue for the sector last year was around 13.8 billion USD, creating 92,000 direct jobs over three years, bringing the total workforce in the sector to 894,000.

The growth momentum continued into early 2026, with a 7 percent rise in visitor numbers during the first quarter compared to the same period last year, which, according to Ammor, reflects the effectiveness of the structural reforms occurring in the sector. Parliamentarians stressed the necessity of expediting the rehabilitation pace of the sector to address the challenges related to hosting the World Cup, urging enhanced investment, motivation for companies, and intensified training programs to ensure the sector can accommodate anticipated tourist flow.

Additionally, the importance of supporting tourism in mountainous and rural areas, which largely depend on traditional models, was highlighted by the deputies. They called for encouragement of innovative projects with environmental and social dimensions, especially in regions rich in natural and geological assets. In this context, the minister confirmed that rural and mountain tourism is a priority within the national strategy, supported by programs aimed at overcoming isolation, enhancing human resources, and bolstering investment.

Official estimates indicate support can reach 35 percent for tourism activation projects and 90 percent for technical support, incentivizing sustainable ventures. Regarding infrastructure, Ammor noted a growing interest from investors, with 380 new tourism units established during 2024 and 2025. A programme called Cap Hospitality was also launched, offering state-supported financing, alongside a new investment charter that provides up to 30 percent support for tourism projects.

Visitor capacity has been increased by adding over 45,000 beds between 2020 and 2025, raising total capacity to over 300,000 beds in preparation for major international events, including the World Cup in 2030. Regarding governance, the minister asserted that regional authorities have become vital partners in sector development, having signed over 100 partnership agreements and providing technical assistance through the Moroccan Tourism Engineering Company.

Several projects have been initiated across multiple regions, including the development of tourism circuits valued at 10 million USD, the enhancement of sites in Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou worth around 4 million USD, and the establishment of tourism clubs in Boulemane valued at 7 million USD. Alongside, significant projects such as the rehabilitation of the Ifrane National Park at approximately 70 million USD, the Toubkal Park at about 390 million USD, and development at Oukaïmeden with financing of nearly 27 million USD are also underway.

In terms of service quality, new regulatory reforms have been introduced, including a review of accommodation classifications every five years and the activation of a “mystery shopper” mechanism for quality control. To support the sector, the Go Tourism programme has benefitted over 1,270 projects, along with ongoing training and qualification programs for sector workers.

Diversifying source markets for tourists is crucial for achieving government targets, with Europe remaining the primary market due to geographical proximity, accounting for nearly 70 percent of total arrivals. Over the past decade, the number of tourists visiting Morocco has doubled, with French nationals leading foreign visitors, followed by Spanish nationals, then citizens from the United Kingdom and Italy.