Hospitality: Professionals Bet Big on the CAN Effect

With less than a month until the kick-off of CAN 2025, it’s time for final adjustments in the nine stadiums spread between Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Fès, Agadir, and Tangier. After their makeovers, these brand-new venues are ready to welcome and share the atmosphere with the many supporters arriving from sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

But beyond the adrenaline rushes and intense suspense in the stands, these visitors will be eager to discover Morocco outside the stadiums, from their places of stay. Aware of this unprecedented tourist influx, hoteliers are going all out. From large chains to mid-sized structures, the entire sector is mobilizing to meet this high demand.

Increase in staff, improvement of welcome services, development of accommodation offers and side activities… Professionals are sharpening their strategies to win the hospitality match. “The accommodation and tourism sector today is not only ready to welcome CAN under the best conditions but also to make it one of the most beautiful editions. It will also be an opportunity to show all African countries the quality of Moroccan products and hospitality,” confirms Nidale Lahlou, Deputy President of the National Federation of the Hotel Industry (FNIH).

For him, there is no worry at this level. The Kingdom has finished demonstrating its capacity to welcome over 2 million visitors per month. This is attested by the record of 17.6 million tourists welcomed in 2024 and the 16.6 million visitors recorded by the end of October 2025, an annual increase of 14%.

Occupancy rates over 80%

On the field of customer experience, establishments are also expected to score points. “Professionals as well as the overseeing administration have paid particular attention to this with the new classification law for tourist establishments, but also with very strict standardization of safety and hygiene enforced by the territorial administration and the National Office for Food Product Safety (ONSSA).”

All these assets will allow hotels to break records in terms of accommodation. While it is difficult at this time to have precise figures on the state of bookings due to several parameters, our interviewee remains convinced that CAN, which will attract an exceptional wave of tourism, will allow sector professionals to significantly boost their cash flow in December and January.

“Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Agadir will record occupancy rates above 80%. In Fès and Tangier, they will exceed 60%. As for other regions, an improvement in occupancy rates of around 20% compared to 2024 is likely,” reveals Lahlou.

The first signals of this future tourism upswing are already starting to flash. Over 700,000 tickets have already been sold to 113 nationalities, according to the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa. A figure not far from the 800,000 additional visitors expected by the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT).

No speculation on prices

In addition to broadcasting an institutional film in twelve countries, the entity led by Achraf Fayda, which recently launched its “Morocco, Land of Football” campaign, plans to mobilize two influencers in each of the countries qualified for CAN around the “Visit Cup Africa” operation, to produce immersive narratives from stadiums and tourist sites.

As for Royal Air Maroc, it is counting on transporting 500,000 passengers from sub-Saharan Africa and the diaspora, mainly Europe. Suffice to say that the African football festival represents a major opportunity for the national hospitality industry, which is in full growth.

It’s an open secret. This type of event is often marked by price hikes in hotel receptives, especially when demand far exceeds supply. “Despite the improvement in occupancy rates and the expected increase in the average length of stay, we are not seeing any price pressure so far. Now, speculation during such events is always possible even if it is not desirable. But it will not be the work of tourism operators,” assures the Deputy President of the FNIH.

7 billion MAD to modernize hotels

Anticipating the considerable tourist influx during CAN, the government launched the “Cap Hospitality” program, a financial mechanism aimed at upgrading several hotels ahead of this continental football summit.

Candidates had to submit their applications before the end of December. About sixty applications have already been admitted out of 91 eligible requests, representing 14,000 rooms and a total investment of 7 billion MAD, according to the Minister of Tourism, Fatim-Zahra Ammor.

This funding should enhance hotel performance during and after CAN. “Cap Hospitality has generated strong interest among hotel establishments. It is a real tool for accelerating the modernization of these infrastructures and deserves to be renewed,” recommends Lahlou.

New classification system to improve hotel performance

To professionalize and modernize the national tourism offering, Morocco has implemented a new classification system for Classified Tourist Accommodation Establishments (EHTC), under Law 80-14 adopted in 2015.

One of the key measures is the establishment of a star-based classification system, extended to all establishments, including hotels, guesthouses, tourist residences, and even iconic structures like riads and kasbahs. The goal: to align with international standards, allow tourists to better orient their choices, and promote healthy and transparent competition among sector professionals.

Service quality will also be scrutinized, through “mystery visits” conducted by specialized auditors who will assess the customer experience based on 800 criteria. A classification that will be renewed every seven years, then every five years for new establishments.