Morocco dethrones Egypt, becomes top tourist spot in Africa – The New Arab

Morocco dethrones Egypt, becomes top tourist spot in Africa
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Morocco has crowned itself Africa‘s most-visited destination, welcoming 17.4 million tourists in 2024—just a year after a deadly earthquake struck near its star destination, Marrakesh.  
The milestone gives Morocco an edge over Egypt, which had long led the continent in tourism. Egypt also broke its own record, attracting 15.7 million visitors in 2024, but it wasn’t enough to hold on to first place.  
Tourism revenue in Morocco also hit a new high in 2024, reaching $11 billion, up from $10.5 billion the previous year, according to the Ministry of Tourism.  
While no central authority tracks arrival numbers for all African nations, UN Tourism data shows North African countries consistently dominate. Egypt, with its pyramids and the Nile, and Morocco, famous for its mountains, medinas, and celebrated cuisine, are in a league of their own on the continent.  
By contrast, safari destinations in sub-Saharan Africa, such as South Africa and Botswana, attract far fewer visitors and earn only a fraction of North Africa’s tourism revenue.  
Morocco’s 2024 numbers mark a 20 percent rise from 2023 and a more than 33 percent increase from pre-pandemic 2019 levels, when the country welcomed 13 million tourists. This surge has also put Morocco two years ahead of its tourism projections.  
The rebound has been especially noticeable in Marrakesh, Morocco’s most visited city, which has recovered from both the Covid-19 tourism slowdown and the deadly September 2023 earthquake.  
“We struggled after the earthquake. But today, things are better than ever. We’ve been fully booked for months,” said Nassim Ait Said, manager of Riad Nelia, a boutique hotel in Marrakech’s old square. “People are back to enjoy the beauty of Marrakech.”  
However, the same cannot be said for the surrounding Atlas villages, once a haven for hikers and nature enthusiasts.  
“The sight of tents and damaged homes doesn’t help attract sceptical tourists,” said Driss Zehrour, owner of Riad Vallée Vert in Douar Taourirte, near Asni, 50 kilometres from Marrakesh. “Unlike Marrakesh, people are still scared to come here.”
Hotel owners in the hardest-hit villages report occupancy rates below 10%. Rebuilding has been agonisingly slow; ruins and makeshift camps are still scattered across the region more than a year after the earthquake.
Residents, who have been protesting since last year against the lack of action, say the government has offered no explanation or reassurances.  
While the recovery remains uneven, Morocco’s tourism ministry wants to break more records.
“These remarkable figures represent a major step towards our goal of positioning Morocco among the top 15 global tourist destinations”, Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor said in a press release last week.

To break into the top 15, Morocco would need to overtake countries like Japan, which welcomed 25 million international tourists in 2023, the most recent year for which UN data is available.  
Ammor highlighted several factors driving Morocco’s growth in a social media post, including the introduction of 120 airline routes in 2024—such as United Airlines’ Newark-Marrakech nonstop—and new luxury hotels from brands like Four Seasons and Nobu across the country.  
Morocco has also leveraged the success of its national football team, the Atlas Lions, who made history as the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022.
Their success is now woven into Morocco’s tourism promotion. Trailers showcasing the Atlas Lions greet visitors at Marrakech airport, murals of Achraf Hakimi’s Panenka and Yassine Bounou’s iconic saves adorn streets, and the team’s legend continues to attract fans from around the world.
The record-breaking year comes as Morocco prepares to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from December 2025 to January 2026, an event expected to draw soccer fans worldwide.  
By 2030, when Morocco is set to co-host the FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, the country aims to welcome 26 million tourists annually—50 percent more than its current figures.  
Morocco sees tourism spike in 2024 with 17 million visitors
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