Morocco is increasingly leveraging its fast growing tourism industry to deepen its administrative and economic footprint in Western Sahara, a long contested region at the centre of a decades long dispute with Algeria and the Polisario Front.
The territory, a vast and sparsely populated stretch along the Atlantic coast, remains politically unresolved despite a United Nations brokered ceasefire in 1991 that promised a referendum on self determination. More than three decades later, that referendum has not taken place, leaving the region effectively divided between Moroccan controlled areas and a smaller Polisario controlled eastern zone.
On the ground, however, Morocco has been steadily integrating Western Sahara into its national economic system, particularly through tourism expansion, infrastructure investment, and transport connectivity. Authorities view this strategy as both an economic development tool and a way to reinforce administrative control over the territory.
Data from Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism shows that visitor numbers to Moroccan administered Western Sahara have increased by more than 50 percent over the past seven years, rising from about 490,297 arrivals in 2019 to more than 743,133 in 2025. This growth has been supported by improved air connections and rising international interest in coastal destinations such as Dakhla.
A key driver of this surge has been expanded airline access. National carrier Royal Air Maroc, alongside low cost and regional airlines including Ryanair, Transavia France, and Binter Canarias, now operate direct routes from major European cities such as Madrid, Paris, and the Canary Islands into airports serving the territory. This connectivity has helped reposition parts of Western Sahara as emerging tourism destinations within Morocco’s broader travel map.
In practice, global travel platforms have also contributed to this framing. Booking sites such as Expedia, Booking.com, and Trivago frequently list accommodation in the region under Moroccan destinations, reinforcing Morocco’s administrative claim in international consumer systems. Airlines similarly present destinations in the area as part of Morocco in their booking networks.
Analysts say this reflects a broader strategy of “economic normalisation,” where Morocco is not waiting for a political resolution to the dispute but is instead building de facto control through investment and integration. By embedding Western Sahara into tourism, trade, and logistics networks, Rabat strengthens its on the ground presence and international visibility.
The dispute itself remains one of Africa’s longest running territorial conflicts. Morocco asserts sovereignty over Western Sahara, while Algeria supports the Polisario Front, which advocates for independence for the Sahrawi people. The disagreement has shaped regional diplomacy for decades and continues to influence relations between the two North African powers.
Tensions between Morocco and Algeria escalated further after diplomatic relations were severed in 2021. Since then, both countries have aligned with different international partners on the issue. France in 2024 publicly backed Morocco’s sovereignty claim, while Algeria continues to support Polisario’s position.
Even major global actors have struggled to advance negotiations. The United States has periodically encouraged renewed dialogue between the parties, but meaningful progress has remained limited, with positions on both sides deeply entrenched.
Despite the political deadlock, Morocco has pressed ahead with development plans in the region. Tourism infrastructure, road networks, port facilities, and urban expansion projects have all been used to support long term economic integration. Officials argue that these investments improve livelihoods and promote regional stability.
Critics, however, view the strategy as a way of consolidating control over disputed territory without resolving its final political status. They argue that increased tourism and international business presence may gradually shift perceptions of sovereignty on the ground.
For Morocco, the stakes are both economic and geopolitical. Tourism is one of the country’s most important industries, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings and employment. Extending its growth into Western Sahara aligns with broader national development goals while reinforcing territorial claims.
As visitor numbers continue to rise and international systems increasingly map the region as part of Morocco, the dispute remains unresolved diplomatically even as economic realities evolve on the ground. The situation highlights how infrastructure, tourism, and global connectivity can shape geopolitical narratives in ways that formal negotiations have yet to settle.
