Morocco wants tourists to visit Western Sahara. Some say it's tightening its control

Morocco is aggressively promoting tourism to Western Sahara, a territory it controls but whose status is disputed under international law, with visitor numbers rising by more than 50% over seven years [1]. Data from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism shows tourist arrivals to the Morocco-controlled area jumped from 490,297 in 2019 to 743,133 in 2025 [1]. The coastal city of Dakhla is marketed as a Moroccan destination, with airlines like Ryanair and Transavia France offering direct flights from European hubs and listing it as part of Morocco [1]. The Moroccan national carrier, Royal Air Maroc—wholly owned by the government—operates a domestic network that includes the territory [1][5]. However, Binter Canarias, the flag carrier of Spain's Canary Islands, bucks this trend by referring to the area as Western Sahara on its routes [1][6]. Major booking platforms like Expedia and Booking.com also label hotels in the territory as being in Morocco [1]. Erik Hagen of Western Sahara Resource Watch states this marketing "risks contributing to a distortion of international law and public understanding" regarding an occupied territory [1]. The Polisario Front, which represents the indigenous Sahrawi people and controls a narrow eastern strip, opposes Morocco's claims. Its representative, Sidi Breika, says tourism is being used to impose a 'fait accompli' and that such projects violate the Sahrawi right to self-determination [1]. The UN classifies Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory and has pushed for a referendum for decades, though no vote has occurred [1]. The territory was a Spanish colony until 1976, after which Morocco claimed it, leading to an armed conflict [1]. A 1991 UN-brokered ceasefire included plans for a self-determination vote that remains unimplemented [1]. International law experts argue companies should distinguish Western Sahara from Morocco to avoid litigation over consumer protection and self-determination rights [1].