In 2024, Morocco appeared as Africa's most visited tourist destination, knocking Egypt from its top spot. According to the latest UN tourism data, Morocco welcomed 17.4 million international tourists in 2024, up 20% in 2023. By comparison, 15.7 million visitors went to Egypt in 2024.
Enhanced air connections, strategic marketing efforts and a variety of attractions have contributed to this surge in tourism. From the vibrant cities of Marrakech and Casablanca to the calm beaches and beate pass experiences, Morocco offers something for all kinds of travelers.
This article focuses on airline capacity data comparing winter 2023 and winter 2024.
Western Europe is a key market in Morocco
Morocco's international air capacity by region is dominated by Western Europe, with 6.4 million seats scheduled to open this winter (October 2024 to March 2025). This increased capacity by 19% (1 million seats) compared to winter 2023, and airline capacity to North America was proportionally smaller, but increased at a similar 19%, with central/eastern Europe capacity rising by 45% year-on-year.
Let's take a look at Morocco's biggest country market by capacity.
France is Morocco's biggest market, with airlines opening 2.3 million seats in winter 2024 (in partially driven by demand from foreigners in Moroccan France) the next largest market is Spain, with 1.1 million seats.
Low-cost carrier: the driving force behind increasing air capacity
The surge in international capabilities against Morocco is, of course, driven by low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Moroccan registered LCC Air Arabia Malloc, Jet2.com and Transavia.com.
Ryanair is the largest LCC (in terms of Morocco's operational capabilities), and here we have presented some important insights and factors into career growth.
Over 325,000 additional seats were introduced in the winter of 2024 (67% more than the next largest airline EasyJet, which added 195,000 seats) 24 new international routes from Western Europe to Morocco were added in the winter of 2024. Six are the only operators – this is expected to increase internal connectivity and stimulate traffic growth, in line with the government's ambitions to promote tourism in the Kingdom
Travelers turn to alternatives to overcrowded Mediterranean hotspots for the winter sun
The Moroccan government has invested heavily in boosting tourism through its Moroccan Tourism Strategy 2023-26. This includes expanding airports and increasing direct flights, improving air connectivity, and upgrading hospitality services to provide affordable, high-quality accommodation and promoting new destinations. Marrakech and Casablanca remain the most popular destinations, while Agadir, Tangia and Rabat also see strong capabilities growth, but over 30% have been introduced this winter season (November 2024 to March 2025).
Air capacity shares for the top 5 Morocco destinations in Western Europe:
Royal Airmallock offers 58% of European capabilities against Casablanca at four other destinations. Ryanair offers the largest share of European capabilities, as described below.
Interest in Marrakech exceeds Western Europe
Although it has become proportionally smaller, in winter 2024, capacity increased from Central/East Europe to Morocco. Ryanair has introduced flights from Krakow to Marrakech. With Air Malta has introduced flights to With Air from Bucharest to Marrakech and Budapest to Marrakech.
In the US, United Airlines introduced a three-week flight from Newark to Marrakech on October 24th, while Delta announced a three-week flight from Atlanta to Marrakech from October 25th. United Airlines operates the 767-300ER on its route, with Delta lined up on the 767-400ER, both offering three cabins.
Consistent weather makes Morocco an attractive option for travelers looking for winter sun
Morocco is set to become even more popular as a tourist destination in the future. The country co-hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in December 2025 and January 2026, and will be followed by the FIFA World Cup in 2030 along with Spain and Portugal. These well-known events will undoubtedly attract even more international visitors.
All this is in line with the Moroccan government's plan to welcome 17.5 million tourists by 2026 and at least 26 million tourists by 2030. With its glorious weather, beautiful scenery and charming culture, Morocco offers a winning combination for travelers looking for a unique experience with winter sun.
