Tangier’s Tourism Boom: Paradise Lost for Middle-Class Moroccans as Prices Soar

The tourist offers are too expensive in Tangier. According to posts on social networks, a cup of coffee reaches 90 dirhams, the prices of some hotels sometimes exceed those of the most famous European tourist destinations. The prices of tourist services in the city of Tangier appear disproportionate and provocative for many citizens, particularly those in the middle-income and modest financial resource categories, says Kouloub Faitah, a deputy of the Authenticity and Modernity group, in a written question addressed to the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts and the Social and Solidarity Economy. The elected official is asking for clarification on the measures and provisions taken to address the phenomenon of rising service prices.

According to an actor and activist from the city of Fnideq, the rise in prices is the result of several factors. The first factor, according to him, is the increase in demand during the high season for various services and products, particularly accommodation and catering. Tangier’s strategic position as the gateway to northern Morocco and a vital economic center, with major projects such as the Tanger Med port and the free zone, contributes to the high demand for accommodation and services, particularly with the influx of workers and job seekers from several regions of the interior, he explains.

According to him, the burden of high prices weighs both on tourists capable of bearing these costs, but also on locals, particularly the middle and lower classes. 60% of Tangier’s inhabitants belong to this category, depending on a limited income that does not allow them to enjoy these services, thus depriving them of leisure or the enjoyment of what their city offers at crucial times like the summer season, he specifies. While acknowledging that the authorities are making efforts, he nevertheless points out that these efforts remain limited and seasonal, as they are often reduced to occasional control campaigns that are not enough to establish a lasting balance in the market, particularly in Tangier, Tetouan, M’diq, Martil and Fnideq. He also points to the lack of an active role for the Competition Council in the fight against monopolies and the liberalization of prices.

According to the official data of the regional planning directorate of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, a 1.9% increase in the index of basic food prices was recorded between the months of December and January, with notable increases in the prices of vegetables, meat, fish, milk, oils and coffee. On an annual basis, between January 2024 and January 2025, the rates of increase reached significant levels, reaching for some products such as meat 17.2%, it is specified.