Spain Seizes Moroccan Hotels with Over 20 New Palaces for the 2030 World Cup

Spanish hotel chains are accelerating their establishment in Morocco. Thus, twenty hotels will soon be managed by Iberian companies. While the Barceló group dominates with a dozen establishments, other players such as RIU, present in Agadir and Marrakech, or Iberostar and Meliá, are strengthening their positioning. New entrants such as Ona Hotels are now targeting Tangier and Casablanca.

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This dynamic is part of the preparation for the 2030 World Cup, co-organized with Spain and Portugal. Morocco plans to invest around $4 billion to increase its hotel capacity by 20%. The goal is to create an additional 25,000 rooms. Spain is now the second largest foreign investor in this sector, just behind France, by focusing on high-end hotels.

Tourism is a pillar of the Moroccan economy, contributing 9% of GDP and generating 900,000 jobs. The performance of the year 2025 confirms this vitality with the reception of 20 million visitors for revenues of $14.8 billion. Cities like Marrakech, Fez and Tangier are driving this growth, mainly driven by the European and American markets.

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The Kingdom is also launching 700 tourism projects, financed by local capital but operated by international brands. This strategy aims at a model based on sustainability and quality. Beyond hotels, the country is modernizing its transport networks and urban infrastructure to make the World Cup a lever for development across the entire territory.