Casablanca – Morocco is set to more than double Hilton’s footprint as the global hotel group moves to open 15 new properties, part of a wider tourism investment push tied to the country’s fast-rising visitor numbers and preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor met in Rabat on Wednesday with Hilton President and CEO Christopher J. Nassetta to review the group’s expansion plans and discuss how to speed up the development of its hotel portfolio in Morocco.
SMIT chief executive Imad Barrakad and Hilton’s president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Simon Vincent CBE, attended the meeting, the ministry said.
The talks come as Morocco leans harder on public-private partnerships to increase hotel capacity ahead of 2030. Ammor said the sector has entered what she described as a “real and lasting” growth phase, with the country targeting 20 million tourists in 2026 and 26 million by the end of the decade under its tourism roadmap.
Hilton said it plans to open 15 new hotels across both established and emerging destinations, more than doubling its current network of 12 operating properties in Morocco.
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The pipeline includes new brands such as Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Curio Collection by Hilton, with projects planned for Casablanca, Marrakech and Nador. The expansion is expected to create more than 2,000 direct jobs and broaden Morocco’s access to global booking and distribution networks.
The hotel push fits into a much larger World Cup readiness program already underway. Morocco is expanding airport capacity nationwide, backed by a €270 million African Development Bank (AfDB) loan, with upgrades planned for key gateways including Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier and Fez.
The broader strategy aims to raise airport passenger capacity to 80 million by 2030, up from 38 million today.
At the same time, major stadium renovation and transport projects are moving ahead in host cities, while the government’s Cap Hospitality program is financing the modernization of 25,000 hotel rooms by 2026.
For Morocco, the Hilton deal is part of a bigger race against the 2030 deadline. More rooms, bigger airports, upgraded stadiums, and stronger air links. The bet is simple. Turn World Cup momentum into a long-term tourism boom.
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