Morocco rising for food travel
As travelers shift away from Middle East hotspots, Morocco is surfacing as a spring culinary destination — praised for markets, home meals and resilient hospitality (deseret.com). Travel coverage flags Morocco (alongside Spain, Portugal, Greece and Tunisia) as a ‘safer’ alternative drawing new culinary tourism this spring (travelandtourworld.com).
Morocco recorded a record 19.8 million international visitors in 2025 and tourism receipts reached about 124 billion dirhams, figures the tourism ministry called a historic milestone. (mtaess.gov.ma) The sector opened 2026 with a 19.3% jump in tourism revenues in January — MAD 11.65 billion versus MAD 9.77 billion in January 2025 — while official data shows 1.3 million arrivals in January, a 3% year‑on‑year rise. (moroccobeat.com) Global aviation disruption tied to the Iran conflict has produced tens of thousands of cancelled flights — data aggregators and market analysts cited cancellation tallies as high as 46,000 — and the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates the crisis is costing the region hundreds of millions of dollars per day. (bloomberg.com) Travel intelligence firms report a measurable redirection of short‑term searches and bookings toward Mediterranean and North African options—including Morocco—over the March–May 2026 booking window. (micetraveladvisor.com) European connectivity into Morocco is expanding: easyJet announced new Marrakech routes for 2026 and Royal Air Maroc has launched new northern‑gateway services (Tetouan/Tangier) to boost direct access from key European markets. (travelandtourworld.com) Culinary products are tangible draws—Jemaa el‑Fna’s food stalls typically peak between about 8 p.m. and midnight, National Geographic lists hands‑on mountain and market cooking experiences among Morocco’s top food activities, and commercial riad cooking classes start at roughly €48 a person. (marrakechinmorocco.com) Morocco’s tourism strategy pairs a push for expanded air links and international marketing (high visibility at fairs such as ITB Berlin) with infrastructure investments reported at roughly $16 billion, while officials have signalled a long‑term target of about 26 million visitors by 2030. (northafricapost.com)
