Panic in Egypt as tourists abandon it for beautiful country 2,000 miles away

is solidifying itself as top tourist destination, beating the likes of Egypt and Tunisia by a considerable margin. The North African nation achieved a historic milestone in 2024, welcoming a record-breaking 17.4 million inbound visitors.

This marks a 20% increase from the previous year, with nearly three million additional tourists visiting the country, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Handicrafts, and Social and Solidarity Economy. This success has continued into this year, with Morocco once again solidifying its position as , with four million visitors in the first quarter of 2025. This itself is a 22% increase compared to the same quarter in 2024. , however, seems to be suffering in comparison.

" as a destination made a strong impact in 2024. With 17.4 million tourists by the end of December, Morocco is ahead of schedule in meeting the ambitious target set out in its roadmap, initially scheduled for 2026," the Ministry said, according to .

The surge in arrivals reflects growth in both foreign tourists, who accounted for 8.8 million visitors (a 23% increase), and Moroccan , who contributed 8.6 million arrivals (a 17% increase). This near balance-a ratio of 51 to 49 in favour of foreign tourists-highlights Morocco's appeal across a diverse range of demographics.

This surge in visitors in the first quarter of 2025 also coincided with Ramadan and is traditionally seen as a slower period for tourism, which adds another layer of significance to the achievement. March alone saw 1.4 million visitors despite the ongoing religious observance, with 2.1 million international tourists and 1.9 million Moroccan expats.

While , home to the iconic Giza pyramids, also experienced growth in 2024 with 15.7 million visitors, it fell short of Morocco's record-breaking numbers. This is in spite of the fact that Morocco suffered a devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake near Marrakesh just a year prior, which killed at least 2,960 people.

In the first quarter of 2025, Egypt and recorded 3.9 million and 2.3 million visitors, respectively, with significantly smaller growth rates of 5% and 8.8% than Morocco.

The positive trend for Morocco has largely been attributed to the significant transformation of the country's offerings over the past few years. This has included enhanced air connectivity, with a notable increase in the availability of low-cost carriers providing accessible options for international travellers, as well as effective marketing campaigns aimed at European markets. As such, countries including the UK, France and Spain have emerged as leading source markets for tourists to Morocco.

While these visitor number figures are positive, revenue growth from the tourism sector has not fared as well. Tourism receipts reached 24.6 billion dirhams (£1.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2025, reflecting a modest 2.4% year-on-year increase. This discrepancy has raised concerns among tourism professionals who are focused on attracting visitors who contribute significantly to the local economy.

But Morocco has no plans to slow down. The country aims to welcome 20 million visitors annually by the end of the decade, which forms part of a broader vision to transform its tourism . To meet these targets, there are plans to build between 500 and 700 new hotels, which will add an additional 100,000 to 140,000 hotel beds. These developments are strategically timed to coincide with Morocco's role as a co-host of the , further fueling the country's appeal as a global destination.

Egypt, meanwhile, is targeting 17 million visitors in 2025, an increase from 15.7 million in 2024.