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Sun, 24 May 2026

Sun, 24 May 2026 Morocco wants tourists to visit Western Sahara. Some say it's tightening its control

The Moroccan government wants more Western holidaymakers to visit the territory it claims to own.

* Ryanair advertised flights from Madrid to Dakhla, Morocco, starting from €30 ($35)
* However, Dakhla is actually located in Western Sahara, a territory occupied and administered by Morocco
* The United Nations classifies Western Sahara as a "non-self-governing territory", meaning the local population cannot govern itself
* Rights groups and experts say marketing Western Sahara as part of Morocco raises concerns about international law and legitimizes Morocco's occupation
* Visitor numbers to Morocco-controlled Western Sahara have risen 50% over the past seven years, fueled by expanding air links
* Airlines such as Ryanair, Transavia France, and Binter Canarias operate direct routes to Dakhla, despite some companies labeling the territory as part of Morocco
* Campaign groups say this is misleading and contributes to a distortion of international law
* Experts warn that airlines and booking sites may face litigation for violating international law and consumer protection rights if they fail to distinguish Western Sahara from Morocco.