Morocco promotes Western Sahara tourism amid sovereignty controversy

Morocco is actively encouraging Western tourists to visit Western Sahara, a disputed territory it claims as its own. Critics argue the tourism push is part of a broader strategy to tighten Moroccan control over the contested region. The move has drawn attention from international observers concerned about the political implications.

Morocco is ramping up efforts to attract Western holidaymakers to Western Sahara, the disputed territory along Africa's Atlantic coast that Rabat has long claimed as its sovereign land. The Moroccan government is positioning the region as an untapped tourist destination, promoting its vast desert landscapes, coastal scenery, and cultural heritage to European and North American visitors.

However, critics and human rights advocates argue that the tourism campaign is far more than a simple economic initiative. They contend that encouraging foreign visitors — particularly from Western nations — serves a strategic political purpose: normalising Moroccan administration of the territory and strengthening Rabat's claim over a region whose final status remains unresolved under international law.

Western Sahara has been at the centre of a long-running territorial dispute. Morocco controls roughly 80% of the territory and has invested heavily in infrastructure there, while the Polisario Front — backed by Algeria — has long sought an independent state on behalf of the Sahrawi people. The United Nations has repeatedly called for a referendum on self-determination that has yet to materialise.

Several Western governments have in recent years shifted their positions on the conflict. The United States under the Trump administration recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020, and France followed with a similar declaration in 2024. These diplomatic shifts have emboldened Moroccan efforts to integrate the territory more fully into its national framework, including through tourism development.

Observers note that while tourism can bring genuine economic benefits to local communities, it can also serve as a tool of soft power. By making Western Sahara a familiar and visited destination, Morocco may be seeking to further cement international acceptance of its control — a dynamic that advocacy groups say deserves scrutiny from travellers and policymakers alike.