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Surge in Russian tourism to Morocco: A summer boom for 2025
Russian interest in Moroccan travel has surged dramatically for the upcoming summer season. According to analytics from travel planning service OneTwoTrip, Morocco has shown the most notable increase in demand, with five times more travelers planning to visit this summer compared to 2024.
Morocco now accounts for 0.5% of all foreign bookings by Russian tourists, positioning the North African country ahead of other popular destinations. Abkhazia follows with a threefold increase, representing 0.7% of bookings. Other countries, including Spain (9.1% of bookings), Hungary (2.3%), and Kazakhstan (2.2%), have also witnessed significant growth.
In addition to Morocco, other African nations are seeing increased interest from Russian tourists. Egypt’s share has grown by 75%, while South Africa experiences a 57% rise. European destinations such as France (+75%) and Italy (+50%) are also gaining popularity. Moreover, destinations in Asia, including Vietnam (+45%) and Uzbekistan (+44%), are capturing the attention of Russian travelers.
This unprecedented upswing in Russian tourism coincides with Morocco's overall growth in visitor numbers. In the first four months of 2025, Morocco welcomed 5.7 million tourists, a remarkable 23% increase compared to the same period in 2024. April alone recorded 1.7 million arrivals, marking a 27% rise from April 2024, indicating that Morocco’s appeal extends beyond traditional peak seasons.
Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor underscored the significance of these figures, stating, “One million additional visitors in what is typically a quieter start to the year is a strong signal for the remainder of 2025.” She attributed these results to the government’s tourism roadmap launched under King Mohammed VI’s leadership.
This growth builds on Morocco’s record-breaking 2024, when it attracted 17.4 million tourists, surpassing Egypt to become Africa’s most-visited destination. Egypt recorded 15.7 million visitors in 2024, setting its own record yet losing the continental top spot. That year, Morocco's tourism revenue reached $11 billion, an increase from $10.5 billion in 2023.
Morocco's 2024 figures reflect a 20% increase from 2023 and over 33% growth compared to pre-pandemic 2019, when the nation welcomed 13 million tourists. This remarkable leap positions Morocco two years ahead of its tourism projections.
Minister Ammor has expressed ambitions to elevate Morocco among the top 15 global tourist destinations. Key factors driving this growth include the introduction of 120 new airline routes in 2024 and the launch of luxury hotels from renowned brands such as Four Seasons and Nobu.
Furthermore, Morocco has leveraged the historic success of its national football team, which became the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals in 2022. The country is also gearing up to host the Africa Cup of Nations from December 2025 to January 2026. By 2030, Morocco aims to co-host the FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, targeting an ambitious goal of welcoming 26 million tourists annually—50% more than current figures.
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