Camel Treks and surfing in Dakhla.
Credit: visitmorocco.com
Tourism professionals are gathering in Madrid from January 21 to 25 for the FITUR International Tourism Fair, one of Europe’s most influential travel events. For Agadir Souss-Massa, the Spanish market is emerging as a strategic growth lever to be further developed.
Agadir targets Spanish travelers at FITUR Madrid
The Agadir Souss-Massa destination is strengthening its positioning on the Spanish tourism market through its participation in FITUR Madrid. The objective is clear: present Agadir as a credible and competitive alternative to saturated Iberian destinations, particularly the Canary Islands.
As pressure intensifies on Spain’s domestic tourism offer, Spanish travelers are increasingly looking for nearby, accessible destinations offering a comparable seaside product, combined with distinctive experiences. Agadir checks many of these boxes.
A competitive destination with strong natural assets
With its year-round mild climate, long Atlantic beaches, nearby mountains, desert landscapes, and well-structured hotel capacity, Agadir offers a diversified and attractive tourism product. These strengths are being highlighted during the destination’s third post-Covid participation at FITUR, within a targeted prospecting strategy.
The approach is far from speculative. The Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal combined) is currently Morocco’s second-largest source market for tourism, just behind France. For Agadir, this represents a high-potential yet still under-exploited market, particularly for leisure travel, short stays, and proximity tourism.
Encouraging figures despite air connectivity challenges
Recent statistics confirm a gradual recovery of the Spanish market. Tourist arrivals from Spain increased from 13,605 visitors in 2019 to 20,758 in 2025, after peaking at 22,379 in 2023. Compared to 2024, the market recorded growth of more than 2% in both arrivals and overnight stays.
Despite this positive trend, tourism professionals agree that limited direct air connections remain the main obstacle to stronger growth, particularly toward Agadir and Taghazout. Strengthening direct flight routes is therefore essential to unlock the full potential of Spanish demand.
Solid overall performance for Agadir Souss-Massa
Beyond the Spanish market, Agadir Souss-Massa continues to post strong overall results. Final figures for 2025 show more than 1.5 million tourists welcomed and 6.36 million overnight stays recorded in classified establishments across Greater Agadir, Taghazout Bay, and Imi Ouaddar.
Arrivals increased by 9.07% and overnight stays by 7.65%, confirming the destination’s sustained momentum. The average occupancy rate reached 66.04% in 2025, up from 61.53% the previous year, reflecting improved optimization of accommodation capacity.
However, the average length of stay declined slightly, from 4.29 to 4.24 nights, signaling the need to further enhance entertainment, activities, and product diversification.
The Spanish market: a key growth lever for 2026
In this favorable context, the Spanish market stands out as a strategic priority for 2026. By accelerating air connectivity, intensifying promotion, and structuring tailored tourism offers, Agadir could significantly increase its share of this nearby clientele.
For Spanish travelers seeking sunshine, change of scenery, and value for money, Agadir has the potential to position itself as a leading short-haul destination in the western Mediterranean-Atlantic space.
