Low-cost carriers have become the central engine of Morocco’s tourism boom over the past decade, democratizing access to the kingdom’s skies and reshaping the geography of its tourist economy, according to a report by Finances News Hebdo.
European budget giants including Ryanair, Transavia, easyJet, Volotea and Wizz Air, alongside domestic operator Air Arabia Maroc, have progressively built a new connectivity model for the country. Total programmed seat capacity to Morocco surpassed 12 million in 2025, up 12 percent year on year, now formally treated as a strategic pillar of the kingdom’s 2023-2026 tourism roadmap.
Ryanair leads the pack, having carried more than 9.1 million passengers to Morocco in 2024 and targeting 10.7 million in 2026, cementing its position as the top international carrier by passenger volume since also entering the domestic market in 2024. France’s Transavia has expanded capacity 30 percent for winter 2025-2026 alone, opening 14 new routes and adding over 130,000 seats, making Morocco its top destination worldwide by seat volume.
The low-cost expansion is also redrawing the country’s tourism map. Once dominated by a handful of cities including Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca and Tangier, and historically dependent on the French market, Morocco is now attracting a broader mix of visitors from central Europe, the Netherlands and Britain, while once-marginal cities including Essaouira, Ouarzazate, Dakhla, Nador, Tetouan and Oujda gain direct international connections.
Tourism expansion comes as Morocco seeks to build on record tourism performance. The country received 17.4 million international tourists in 2024, up 20% from the previous year, making it Africa’s most visited country, according to UN Tourism.
Morocco maintained strong momentum in 2025, when international arrivals increased by 14%, according to UN Tourism, putting the kingdom, where authorities are now acting as active developers of new air routes, among Africa’s strongest-performing destinations.
Besides, as Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, the National Airports Office has launched an expansion program across the kingdom’s main hubs, from Casablanca and Marrakech to Agadir, Tangier, Rabat and Dakhla, to absorb the expected surge in traffic.