Morocco dethrones Egypt to become Africa’s most visited destination in 2024

Morocco has emerged as Africa’s most visited destination, attracting 17.4 million visitors in 2024, according to its Ministry of Tourism.

This achievement edges out Egypt, the continent’s former tourism leader, which set a new record with 15.7 million arrivals in the same year, Bloomberg reported.

Morocco’s new tourism milestone represents a remarkable 20% increase from 2023 and over a 33% rise compared to its pre-pandemic record of 13 million visitors in 2019. This achievement has propelled the Kingdom of Light two years ahead of its tourism growth projections.

“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.

According to The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), Africa welcomed 6% more tourists than in January-September 2024 the same months of 2019. By subregions, North Africa and Central America saw the strongest performance in January-September 2024, with 18% and 16% more international arrivals than before the pandemic respectively.

To break into the top 15 global tourist destinations, Morocco would need to surpass Japan, which welcomed 25 million international visitors in 2023, according to the most recent UN Tourism data.

According to a social media post by Ammor, key drivers behind Morocco’s tourism growth include the introduction of 120 airline routes in 2024, highlighted by a nonstop flight from Newark to Marrakesh on United Airlines. Additionally, the country welcomed new luxury hotels from brands like Four Seasons and Nobu, further enhancing its appeal as a premier destination.

The country has opened additional air routes to key tourist markets, while promoting new destinations within the country and encouraging the renovation of hotels.

Morocco’s tourism success in 2024 wasn’t just about visitor numbers—it also set a new revenue record, generating $11 billion, up from $10.5 billion in 2023.

The future of Morocco’s tourism industry looks even brighter. The country is set to host the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, an event expected to attract soccer enthusiasts worldwide.

Looking further ahead, Morocco’s co-hosting of the FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal in 2030 is projected to drive tourism numbers to unprecedented levels, with an ambitious target of 26 million visitors—marking a 50% increase from current figures.