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

The city of Dakhla, located on a windswept peninsula where the Sahara meets the Atlantic, is being marketed to tourists as Morocco's hidden gem. However, visitors traveling to the destination land in one of the world's longest ongoing territorial disputes.

The United Nations classifies Western Sahara as a "non-self-governing territory," indicating that the local population is unable to govern itself. Approximately 80% of Western Sahara is occupied and administered by Morocco, which considers the area its sovereign territory and refers to it as its "southern provinces." The United Nations has consistently pushed for a resolution to the 50-year dispute, including a referendum, but the indigenous population has never been able to vote on its future.

Visitor numbers to Morocco-controlled Western Sahara have risen by more than 50% over the past seven years, according to data from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. Visitor numbers increased from 490,297 in 2019 to 743,133 in 2025. This increase is supported by expanding air links, with Morocco's national carrier Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Transavia France, and Binter Canarias operating direct routes from Madrid, Paris, and the Canary Islands.

The Moroccan government has invested heavily in developing tourism in Western Sahara, which has attracted airlines to the region. Both Ryanair and Transavia France list destinations within Western Sahara as part of Morocco. Transavia France stated that the firm "operates flights to Dakhla in accordance with the authorisations received from the authorities." Ryanair has not responded to requests for comment.

In contrast, Binter Canarias, the flag carrier of Spain's autonomous Canary Islands, refers to the area as Western Sahara. Binter Canarias operates flights to Dakhla as well as Laayoune, the territory's largest city.

UK tourist Tom Ruck recently flew to Dakhla from Madrid with Ryanair. Ruck noted that while resorts were being built, they were "very, very empty," adding that the tourism industry "definitely felt like it was in its infancy." Ruck received a Moroccan stamp in his passport and observed that the Moroccan flag flies across the city.

Rights groups and legal experts state that marketing Western Sahara as part of Morocco raises serious international law concerns. Erik Hagen of the campaign group Western Sahara Resource Watch called the airline classification concerning and misleading. Hagen stated, "When companies market destinations there as Moroccan, they risk contributing to a distortion of international law and public understanding." He added that this raises "serious questions about corporate responsibility and due diligence in politically sensitive and illegally occupied territories."

Major international booking sites Expedia, Booking.com, and Trivago also list hotel locations in Western Sahara as being in Morocco. A spokesperson for Booking.com stated: "If a particular region can be categorized as disputed or impacted by conflict, we add information to our platform to help ensure that travellers can make a well-informed choice." The company added that this involves "advising them to consult their government's official travel advisories as part of their decision-making process. Our approach is consistent globally." Expedia declined to comment, and Trivago was approached for a statement.

Dr. Andrea Maria Pelliconi, an expert in international human rights law at the University of Southampton, stated that airlines and booking sites "should distinguish Western Sahara as a territory with a different status from Morocco." Pelliconi added, "It's possible that companies that fail to make this distinction will face litigation not only for violating international law and the Sahrawis' [the indigenous people's] right to self-determination, but also for issues relating to consumer protection and related information rights, and fair competition rules under EU law."

Under pressure from campaign groups, Airbnb stopped referring to listings in Western Sahara as being in Morocco last year. The Moroccan government has not responded to requests for comment.

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony from 1884 to 1976. Following Spain's withdrawal, Morocco claimed the territory, leading to armed conflict with Sahrawis fighters who formed the Polisario Front to demand an independent Western Sahara. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991 proposed a referendum on self-determination, which has not occurred. Currently, the Polisario Front controls a narrow eastern strip of the territory.

Sidi Breika, the Polisario Front's representative to the UK and Ireland, stated that tourism is being used to impose a "fait accompli" on Morocco's claim, noting that most tourists "are not well informed about the whole issue." Breika stated, "All projects being carried out in the territory under illegal occupation violate the inalienable right of Saharawi people to self-determination and independence, clearly recognized by the UN." He added that the Polisario Front was watching Ryanair "closely" and considering legal action.

In October, the UN Security Council voted to prioritize Morocco's plan to make Western Sahara an autonomous region as the most likely way forward, extending the UN peacekeeping mission for 12 months. The motion was led by the United States, which recognized Morocco's claim over Western Sahara in 2020 under President Trump in exchange for Morocco recognizing Israel.

Despite these developments, the international legal position continues to emphasize the need for a mutually agreed political solution under UN supervision, and the Polisario Front has repeatedly rejected the autonomy proposal. Breika stated: "We hope Morocco understands that investing in tourism or any other economical projects does not replace the will of Sahrawis people and its inalienable right to decide its future."