Agadir: The Push to Conquer New Markets Accelerates

In Agadir, tourism strategy is no longer measured solely by monthly performance figures. It is also shaped by the destination’s ability to broaden its customer base, strengthen its presence in new markets, and turn promotion into tangible visitor flows.

It is within this framework that tourism professionals, alongside institutional stakeholders, are now stepping up prospecting efforts, with a clear objective in mind: to consolidate growth while reducing dependence on a limited number of traditional source markets.

This momentum is first reflected in the mission scheduled for late April to the Canary Islands, as part of decentralized cooperation between the Souss‑Massa region and the Spanish archipelago.

The Agadir Souss‑Massa Regional Tourism Council is set to take part alongside a large institutional and professional delegation. For operators, this geographical proximity—just an hour and a half by plane—remains largely under‑exploited.

The Canary market is seen both as a potential source of additional tourists and as a possible reservoir of investors, at a time when the islands are facing growing pressure on their own tourism capacity.

B2B meetings are planned in order to turn this proximity into concrete business opportunities.

This same diversification strategy will continue in June with a workshop in Montreal, organized in connection with the launch by Air Transat of a direct air link between Agadir and Montreal.

For destination professionals, this new air connection represents an additional lever for growth.

The challenge is not simply to attract more visitors, but to reposition Agadir on a broader map, capable of sustaining activity beyond its usual markets.

Other promotional initiatives are also in preparation, notably the Agadir Souss‑Massa Golf Cup and the third edition of Souss‑Massa Days.

A Clear Recovery in Activity

This commercial drive comes amid a clear recovery in activity.
In March 2026, Agadir recorded 118,960 arrivals, compared with 98,751 a year earlier—an increase of 20.46%. Overnight stays reached 525,560, up from 442,435 in March 2025, representing a rise of 18.79%. The average occupancy rate also increased significantly, climbing from 56.86% to 64.09%.

First‑quarter indicators are similarly positive, with 337,469 arrivals, up 6.95%, and 1,465,909 overnight stays, an increase of 8.39%.

The UK market remains the main driver of this momentum. Last March, it recorded growth of 26.21% in arrivals and 33.21% in overnight stays.

It now accounts for 35.90% of overnight stays and 28.72% of arrivals, with an average length of stay of 5.5 days, the longest among major markets.

The domestic market has also strongly supported activity, with arrivals up 112.05% and overnight stays rising by more than 101%, driven in particular by Aid El‑Fitr and the high visitor turnout in Taghazout.

All hotel categories are showing growth, with an increase of around 50% for five‑star establishments.

Capacity: A Growing Constraint

However, this upturn also highlights a vulnerability. Room capacity has increased by only 3%, rising from 13,517 to 13,868 rooms, while bed capacity has grown by just 2%, reaching 31,171 beds.

In other words, demand is growing faster than supply. This gap is mechanically translating into increasing pressure on occupancy rates and reviving the issue of additional capacity.

As a result, reopening closed establishments is once again becoming a central issue in supporting growth without risking saturation.

A Pivotal Moment for Agadir

Ultimately, Agadir finds itself at a turning point. Promotion is intensifying, markets are diversifying, and demand is responding.

But to turn this favorable phase into sustainable growth, the destination must succeed in a double challenge: continuing to open up to new source markets while strengthening its accommodation capacity. From this balance will now depend the resilience and solidity of Agadir’s tourism trajectory.