Morocco hosted the final of the Future Leaders Challenge Morocco 2026 in Rabat, bringing together students, tourism professionals and government officials to talk about the future of tourism.
Tourism Minister Fatim Zahra Ammor said young Moroccans are at the heart of changes in the sector. She said tourism helps develop regions and creates new chances for local communities.
She shared recent figures to show the sector’s growth. Morocco welcomed nearly 20 million visitors in 2025. Tourism brought in 138bn dirhams in foreign currency and created 92,000 jobs over the past three years.
The minister also said young project leaders need more support, including better training, easier access to funding and stronger links with the national tourism strategy.
Students from 12 Moroccan institutions worked for months on projects designed by industry leaders, including Imad Barrakad and Hamid Bentahar. Their ideas focused on making tourism more inclusive and sustainable, with solutions ranging from digital tools to protecting culture and reducing regional gaps.
These themes match Morocco’s 2023–2026 tourism plan, a 6.1bn dirham programme to make the country a top global destination. The goal was to reach 17.5 million tourists by 2026, a figure already exceeded based on 2025 data.
Tourism makes up about 7% of Morocco’s economy. The government wants to move beyond beach tourism and promote experiences such as desert trips, surfing and cultural visits, while helping rural areas and local artisans benefit.
Morocco is also preparing for major global events, including co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, which will require upgrades to transport, hotels and digital services.
The winning teams will now travel to Dubai to represent Morocco in the international final.
