EasyJet’s African Expansion: Marrakech Base to Boost Morocco’s Tourism

EasyJet is strengthening its presence in Morocco, where it already serves five airports, including Marrakech, Agadir, Rabat, Essaouira and Tangier. The British airline, which offers a total of 46 routes to the kingdom from French airports, has just announced the opening of a base in Marrakech. "I am delighted to announce this historic partnership and the establishment of a new base in Marrakech," said Kenton Jarvis, CEO of easyJet, stating that "Morocco is one of our key markets and the fastest growing destination outside Europe. With this base, we will expand our leisure and business offering to Morocco from more European cities."

According to the British low-cost carrier, this new base should generate around a hundred direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs, and contribute to the development of the Moroccan tourism sector. EasyJet plans a volume of four million seats in the first year of operation of the base, as well as the opening of four new routes as early as the summer of 2025: Hamburg, Lille and Strasbourg to Marrakech and Geneva to Tangier. These new routes confirm Morocco’s position as one of easyJet’s strategic markets.

In recent years, several European and North American carriers have strengthened their presence in Morocco. This is the case with Ryanair, which has opened new bases in Tangier and Essaouira, as well as British Airways, Transavia, Vueling, and Air France. On the long-haul side, United Airlines and Delta have launched a direct route from Marrakech to the United States, further enhancing the country’s accessibility to distant markets. This enthusiasm for air travel is explained by the growth of Moroccan tourism. The kingdom welcomed more than 17 million visitors in 2024 and is preparing to receive even more, in the perspective of the 2030 World Cup.