Casablanca has the biggest airport in Morocco, a famous mosque, a lively waterfront, shopping centres, festivals and a rich history. Yet despite all that, the country’s economic capital still struggles to attract as many tourists as Marrakech or Agadir.
New tourism figures show that Casablanca remains Morocco’s third most visited destination. Hotels and other classified accommodation establishments recorded 768,000 overnight stays during the first three months of 2026, up 21% from a year earlier. But that was still far behind Marrakech, which recorded 3.3 million overnight stays, and Agadir, with 1.9 million.
The gap is also visible at the airports. Casablanca’s Mohammed V Airport welcomed 712,000 arrivals during the first quarter of 2026, a 24% increase compared with the same period last year. However, Marrakech Menara Airport remained ahead with 1.29 million arrivals.
The figures have renewed questions about why Casablanca is not attracting more visitors.
Unlike Marrakech and Agadir, which are known mainly for leisure tourism, Casablanca is still largely seen as a business destination. Yet tourism professionals say the city has much more to offer, including the Hassan II Mosque, the Corniche, nightlife, festivals, traditional markets, modern shopping centres, the Habous district and the old Medina.
Some also point to the lack of major tourism infrastructure. Casablanca still does not have a large conference and convention centre capable of hosting major international events. For years, many conferences and exhibitions moved to Marrakech before gradually returning to Casablanca’s OFEC exhibition centre.
Tourism promotion is mainly handled by Morocco’s regional tourism councils, known as CRTs. One tourism expert said the different councils face the same challenge.
“No CRT is more efficient than another. They are complementary, especially since they all face the same issue: a lack of financial resources to recruit permanent and competent staff, for business travel, events and international promotion.”
According to the expert, the Casablanca-Settat tourism council operates with an annual budget of around 10 million dirhams. Most of that funding comes from public institutions, while only 600,000 dirhams are allocated to day-to-day operations.
Tourism professionals say the budget is too small to properly market a city the size of Casablanca. Promotion today requires much more than brochures and trade fairs. It also involves social media campaigns, digital content, storytelling, influencers and international media exposure.
Some believe Casablanca should also embrace new technologies. Ideas include interactive tourist routes through the Habous district, an AI-powered virtual ambassador and a printed tourist map, something visitors regularly ask for.
Meanwhile, Marrakech continues to benefit from strong international visibility.
The city has become a global tourism brand. Celebrities regularly share their visits on social media and international television. Luxury hotels such as La Mamounia and Royal Mansour are often featured in travel rankings. Moroccan cuisine also helps attract visitors, with many tourists travelling to Marrakech to take cooking classes.
“It’s Baraka,” said one tourism professional in Marrakech.
The numbers reflect that success. Marrakech recorded 13.66 million overnight stays in 2025, with hotel occupancy reaching 73%. Casablanca recorded 3.18 million overnight stays and a 57% occupancy rate. Agadir welcomed 8.14 million overnight stays, with occupancy at 72%.
Even so, tourism operators in Marrakech say more investment is needed. Their priorities include a convention centre capable of hosting between 5,000 and 10,000 people, upgrading Oukaimeden to international standards and a high-speed rail link connecting Marrakech and Tangier by 2029.
