Almost deserted beaches, empty restaurants in M’diq or Saïdia, seaside hotels with historically low occupancy rates in the middle of July. MREs are missing this summer. Even the cities of Hoceima, Martil, Saïdia, Fnideq or Agadir, historically very popular with MRE families, are deserted, reports Tourisma Post. The city of Marrakech also knows the same fate. “Usually, at this time, we refuse people. There, it is difficult to exceed 50 % occupation, ”underlines a Saïdia professional. Cafes, restaurants, private beaches and souks are in the same galley.
To read: Morocco is gradually emptied of its MRE
Why this temporary disenchantment this summer when you know that MREs boosted Moroccan tourism last year? In all, 8.6 million MREs returned to the country in 2024, an annual increase of 17 % while the number of visitors amounted to 17.4 million including 8.8 million foreign tourists, an increase of 23 %. At the origin of this visible absence, the high cost of life. Plane tickets and seasonal rentals are soaring. Restaurant prices are increasing. The prices charged on private beaches too.
To read: for some MRE, the return to Morocco turns into a nightmare
Faced with the rise in prices, many MREs preferred to spend the summer holidays in Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Egypt or even the Balkans where the offer is more competitive, clearer, and often better suited to the expectations of a clientele that has become very demanding.
