Agadir Tourism Surges in 2025, Raising Capacity and Diversification Challenges

In 2025, Agadir achieved an optimized average occupancy rate of 66%. This performance was driven by five markets (domestic, British, French, German, and Polish) and benefited from an airport infrastructure that handled 10% of domestic traffic. The tourism sector must now address the challenge of expanding its accommodation capacity to sustain this growth momentum.

As the 2025 fiscal year draws to a close, the Agadir destination has crossed a threshold in visitor numbers, reshaping its growth prospects for 2026. The final figures for the past year confirm forecasts of exceeding 1.5 million tourists and 6.3 million overnight stays in the destination’s classified establishments, which include the Greater Agadir area, Taghazout Bay, and Imi Ouaddar. With sustained growth in both arrivals and overnight stays, the destination consolidates its position as a driving force of national tourism.

This positioning is based on the performance of the Agadir Al Massira port complex: with 3.63 million passengers handled in 2025, the airport now accounts for 10% of national traffic (totaling 36.3 million passengers). However, this figure represents only the tip of the iceberg, as a significant portion of customers continue to arrive via the hubs of Casablanca and Marrakech, thus compensating for the lack of certain direct connections to the capital of the Souss region.

In detail, the 2025 fiscal year marked a turning point for the Agadir destination, which welcomed 1,502,590 arrivals, representing a net gain of 124,935 additional travelers compared to 2024 (an increase of 9.07%). This rise translated into hotel occupancy totaling 6,366,962 overnight stays, representing an additional 452,685 overnight stays in one year, with an increase of 7.65%.

This overall performance has brought the average occupancy rate up to 66.04%, confirming the optimization of the city’s hotel capacity. It should be noted that the hotel stock, estimated at approximately 31,400 beds, is facing pressure that raises the question of expanding capacity as well as renovating closed units and completing stalled construction projects.

Furthermore, the concentration of visitors in three major markets (English, French and national), representing 70% of the flows, underlines the need for diversification in order to stabilize long-term growth for the Agadir destination.

The British market, the main driver of growth for Agadir tourism

An examination of the origin of tourist flows shows that the British market is emerging as the true engine of the destination in 2025. With 352,000 arrivals, it recorded an increase of 79,928 new tourists, generating nearly 2 million overnight stays (1,988,721). The French market also consolidated its position with 283,350 arrivals (up 39,077).

Conversely, the domestic market, while remaining the largest in overall volume with 446,449 arrivals, saw a slight decline of 9,950 visitors. Also noteworthy is the strong performance of the Polish market, which, with 70,111 arrivals, contributed 14,548 additional tourists to the annual total, thus offsetting the slowdown in the German market, which lost over 6,500 customers.

In terms of the distribution of stays, 4-star hotels constitute the most popular segment, with 383,926 arrivals, closely followed by 5-star hotels, with 355,404 arrivals. This segment also saw the greatest growth, with an increase of 326,949 overnight stays compared to the previous year.

Finally, the Club Hotels (Tourist Villages) confirmed their strategic role in the local tourism economy by attracting 303,177 arrivals and generating over 1.5 million overnight stays, proving that the integrated offering remains a major asset for Agadir’s appeal. As for the 4-star hotels and the Holiday Villages, they posted the highest occupancy rates of the year, both exceeding 74%.

A triumphant final sprint

December 2025 brought the year to a spectacular close with 116,368 arrivals (+9.08%). This influx of visitors had a significant impact on hotel activity, with a volume of 474,052 overnight stays, marking a net gain of 31,910 overnight stays (+7.22%).

This final sprint resulted in an overall occupancy rate of 58.43%, a significant increase compared to the previous year. This month was particularly successful for the hotel industry, with occupancy rates in 5-star establishments rising considerably, from 47.29% in December 2024 to 62.80% this year.

This winter performance, driven by a consistently loyal British market and a rebound in the French market (+18.5%), confirms that Agadir has successfully moved beyond its seasonal nature to become a competitive year-round destination. While the destination’s traditional pillars remained strong, December was particularly marked by the performance of the French market.

With 20,886 arrivals, France recorded the largest increase in volume for the month, with 3,264 additional tourists. The domestic (28,909 arrivals) and British (28,326 arrivals) markets, for their part, ensured a stable and high base of visitors, essential for the resort’s resilience during the winter season.

The Agadir Regional Tourism Council celebrates “Iḍ Yennayer 2976”

As in previous years, the celebration of “Id n Yennayer 2976” takes on a unique solemnity in the Souss-Massa region, inviting an immersion into the heart of the traditions and symbols of Amazigh identity.

Marking the opening of the agricultural year, January 14th now enjoys a historical consecration in Morocco following the royal decision to establish January 14th as a public holiday, sealing the official recognition of the symbolic anchoring of this culture marked by its deep connection with the land (Akal).

In this context, the Agadir Souss-Massa Regional Tourism Council (CRT) is offering a rich program of cultural, artistic, and culinary activities to celebrate the Amazigh New Year. Similar to the Gregorian New Year celebrations, on the night of January 13th, the city’s waterfront was the stage for vibrant shows, including fireworks and a drone display.

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(Featured image by Moussa Idrissi via Pexels)

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First published in LES ECO.ma. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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