Morocco’s Tourism Boom Leaves Quake-Hit High Atlas Behind

Morocco has emerged as Africa’s most-visited destination, with record-breaking visitor numbers in 2024, yet in the quake-scarred High Atlas Mountains, guesthouses and trekking villages remain conspicuously quiet.

Image by BBC Travel

Record Visitor Numbers and Rising Revenues

Recent tourism figures show Morocco riding a powerful wave of demand. Publicly available data from UN Tourism and Morocco’s Ministry of Tourism indicate that the country welcomed around 17.4 million international visitors in 2024, roughly one fifth more than in 2023 and significantly above pre-pandemic levels. Tourism receipts have climbed to unprecedented highs, reinforcing the sector’s role as a cornerstone of the national economy.

Government roadmaps for 2023 to 2026 position tourism as a major engine of growth, aiming to lift its share of gross domestic product and consolidate Morocco’s place among the world’s top destinations. Industry-focused research notes that tourism already accounts for a large portion of service exports, while official strategies lean heavily on expanding air connectivity, promoting cultural heritage and accelerating infrastructure projects.

Flagship cities and resorts are reaping the benefits. Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir and Tangier feature prominently in marketing campaigns and receive the bulk of new hotel investments. High-speed rail expansion and airport upgrades are designed to funnel even more visitors into these hubs ahead of events such as the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco is set to co-host. The overall picture is one of a tourism success story that is gathering pace.

Behind the headline numbers, however, the boom is uneven. While coastal resorts and imperial cities report high occupancy rates, some inland and rural regions that once depended on niche tourism segments are lagging well behind the national recovery.

High Atlas Still Struggling After the 2023 Earthquake

The sharpest contrast is visible in the High Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech, where the 6.8-magnitude Al Haouz earthquake in September 2023 devastated hundreds of villages. Academic assessments and humanitarian updates describe widespread damage to traditional earthen homes, roads and basic services, with tens of thousands of houses destroyed or rendered unsafe and many residents displaced to temporary shelters.

Before the quake, valleys such as Ourika, Imlil and Azzaden relied heavily on hikers, trekkers and small-group tours. Family-run guesthouses, guided mule treks and local transport services formed the backbone of local livelihoods. These communities were tightly integrated into international tourism circuits that connected Marrakech to Mount Toubkal, remote Berber villages and scenic high passes.

In the months following the disaster, published reporting highlighted fears that a prolonged tourism slump could cut a vital income stream just as reconstruction needs soared. Roads to some hamlets were blocked or damaged, trails were unsafe and many small accommodations either collapsed or required costly reinforcement. Aid and public reconstruction plans focused first on shelter and infrastructure, leaving limited short-term capacity to welcome visitors.

More than two years later, visible scars remain. Some routes have reopened and certain lodges have been rebuilt, but others are shuttered or operating at reduced capacity. Travelers concerned about safety, access and the appropriateness of visiting affected areas often divert to coastal destinations or remain in Marrakech for shorter city breaks, bypassing the mountain economies that once counted on their stays.

Investment Flows Bypass Vulnerable Mountain Communities

While the High Atlas works through a slow, uneven recovery, capital is flowing strongly into Morocco’s better-known tourism hubs. Trade and industry briefings describe plans for new coastal resorts, branded hotels and leisure infrastructure targeted at both international visitors and an expanding domestic middle class. Investors are being encouraged to look at beach destinations, urban hotel complexes and large-scale entertainment projects.

These initiatives align with national objectives to increase capacity and average spend in established markets, but they do little to address the needs of small mountain villages that relied on low-volume, high-impact tourism. Mountain guesthouses lack access to major lenders, and many households affected by the quake face competing priorities between rebuilding their homes and restoring tourism facilities.

Development organizations and local associations have launched small-scale projects to improve trails, promote community-based tourism and support training, according to publicly available project updates. However, such efforts are fragmented and modest compared with the scale of post-quake damage. Mountain communities report slower business than before 2020 and 2023, even as national arrival figures set new records.

The result is a widening gap. At the national level, tourism appears to be thriving, reinforcing Morocco’s image as a resilient and fast-growing destination. At the local level in parts of the High Atlas, the sector that once underpinned livelihoods is only partially restored, leaving residents more dependent on remittances, reconstruction aid and seasonal work elsewhere.

Shifting Visitor Patterns Favour Coasts and Cities

Visitor behavior has also shifted in ways that disadvantage remote mountain destinations. Travel media coverage and booking platforms show robust interest in city breaks to Marrakech and Fes, surf and wellness stays around Agadir and Taghazout, and road trips linking northern cities such as Tangier, Chefchaouen and Rabat. These itineraries are well served by improved roads, frequent domestic flights and, increasingly, high-speed rail connections.

By contrast, itineraries that once combined the Marrakech medina with multi-day treks into the High Atlas now appear less prominent in mainstream travel marketing. Some tour operators have adjusted their programs to focus on coastal or desert routes perceived as less complicated in terms of logistics and risk. Others continue to promote hiking and cultural stays in rehabilitated villages, but often at smaller scales.

Concerns over disaster impact, combined with limited recent information about trail conditions and accommodation options, can deter risk-averse travelers. In online travel communities, questions about whether it is appropriate or practical to visit specific valleys still surface regularly. Without clear, coordinated messaging about which areas are ready to welcome guests, many visitors default to more familiar, infrastructure-rich destinations.

This rebalancing is not unique to Morocco, but in the High Atlas it intersects with the aftermath of a major natural disaster and long-standing development challenges. The result is that communities already on the economic margins risk being left further behind by a tourism surge that is highly concentrated elsewhere.

Calls for a More Inclusive Tourism Roadmap

As Morocco looks ahead to hosting global sporting events and scaling up its tourism ambitions, discussions within policy papers and sector analyses increasingly reference sustainability and regional balance. The national tourism roadmap for 2023 to 2026 frames diversification and community inclusion as priorities, but implementation on the ground remains uneven, particularly in highland regions affected by the quake.

Experts in sustainable tourism policy argue that rebuilding in the High Atlas presents an opportunity to rethink how benefits are shared. Suggestions in public reports include targeted support for guesthouse retrofitting, microfinance for mountain tourism entrepreneurs, investment in safe, clearly marked hiking routes and stronger promotion of community-based experiences that keep spending in local hands.

There are also calls for closer coordination between disaster recovery efforts and tourism planning. Reconstruction of roads, water systems and public spaces can be designed with future visitors in mind, improving both residents’ quality of life and the attractiveness of mountain villages as destinations. Transparent communication about safety standards and the readiness of specific valleys could help rebuild traveler confidence.

For now, though, the contrast remains stark. On the coast and in major cities, Morocco’s tourism boom is visible in packed riads, full flights and new construction. In many High Atlas communities, the silence of empty guesthouses tells a different story, one in which the global success of Moroccan tourism has yet to translate into a full recovery.