The 2026 World Cup is over, and attention is already turning to the next tournament. Morocco, which will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, is accelerating preparations and dramatically expanding its tourism infrastructure.
The North African country plans to add about 60,000 hotel beds by the time the tournament begins, increasing its current accommodation capacity by roughly 20%, the tourism minister told Reuters.
At the same time, the government is investing more than 190 billion dirhams, or about $20 billion, in infrastructure, aiming to turn the World Cup into a long-term engine of growth for the tourism industry.
Morocco has enjoyed growing international exposure in recent years, fueled in part by the success of its national soccer team. After becoming the first African and Arab team to reach a World Cup semifinal in Qatar in 2022, Morocco reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 tournament.
Officials hope to convert that attention into lasting gains for a tourism industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people and contributes about 7% of the country’s gross domestic product.
"We see the 2030 FIFA World Cup as an accelerator, not an end in itself," Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor told Reuters. She said that "the government is investing more than 190 billion dirhams (about $20 billion) to build and expand rail, road, airports, stadiums and other urban infrastructure ahead of the 2030 tournament."
According to official figures, Morocco has added about 45,000 hotel beds over the past four years, bringing the country’s total capacity to slightly more than 300,000.
Nearly 20 million tourists visited Morocco last year, making it the most visited country in Africa. The government now aims to attract 26 million visitors annually by 2030.
Al Boraq trains at Tangier railway station
(Photo: Mounir Taha / Shutterstock)
The new Grand Theatre of Rabat, with the city skyline in the background
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Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech fills with visitors, food stalls and vendors at sunset
(Photo: frantic00 / Shutterstock)
The colorful houses of the surfing village of Imsouane
(Photo: Flystock / Shutterstock)
Morocco’s central bank expects tourism revenue to reach a record 161 billion dirhams in 2027, up from 138 billion dirhams in 2025. Ammor said the expansion of air routes from Europe had played a significant role in the industry’s growth.
The government’s next phase will focus on attracting more visitors from China, the United States and the Middle East by improving international air connectivity.
Morocco is also seeking to spread tourism beyond its most familiar destinations, particularly Marrakech and the coastal resort city of Agadir. One goal is to position the capital Rabat, with its historic sites, museums and sports facilities, as a hub for cultural events, sports events and business tourism. "We need to make investments that create lasting value for Moroccan tourism," Ammor said.