Moroccan Tourists Avoid Catalonia Despite Spain Boom

According to the 2025 Turespaña report on the Moroccan tourism market, 767,000 Moroccan tourists visited Spain in 2024, a 30.8% increase year-on-year. This strong comeback places the Moroccan market above its pre-pandemic level.

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However, this growth does not benefit all Spanish regions. Catalonia, the third most popular Spanish destination for Moroccan tourists, welcomed 87,000 Moroccan visitors in 2024, representing 11.3% of the total. This figure represents a decline of 11.1% year-on-year.

The decline is all the more notable as it is the second consecutive drop. In 2023, Catalonia had already recorded a 12.8% decrease in the Moroccan market. The region is therefore losing ground with a clientele that continues to travel more to Spain.

Andalusia remains by far the preferred destination for Moroccan tourists. It welcomed 329,000 visitors from Morocco in 2024, representing 42.9% of the total, with an increase of 23.4%. Its geographical proximity, the Costa del Sol, beaches, hotel offerings and shopping opportunities continue to work in its favor.

Madrid is growing even more strongly. The Spanish capital attracted 187,000 Moroccan tourists in 2024, representing 24.3% of the market. It recorded a 54.2% increase year-on-year, confirming its growing appeal to Moroccan travelers.

Catalonia’s situation thus appears as an exception in an overall very dynamic market. Moroccan tourists are spending more in Spain, traveling more frequently for leisure and predominantly using commercial accommodation, particularly hotels.

The report also shows that air connections between Morocco and Spain remain very active. Catalonia benefits from numerous connections with Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, Nador, Marrakech, Fès, Tangier, Tétouan and Oujda. However, this supply is not yet sufficient to reverse the decline in the number of Moroccan tourists staying in the region.

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For Spain, the Moroccan market remains strategic. For Catalonia, the challenge will now be to win back a clientele that seems to prefer Andalusia, driven by its proximity to Morocco, and Madrid, which benefits from strong tourism momentum.