Morocco Court International Visitors to Western Sahara Amidst Claims of Consolidated Control

Last March, an invitation arrived in my inbox from Irish carrier Ryanair, prompting me to consider my "next Moroccan adventure." The destination was Dakhla, a city situated on a windswept peninsula where the Atlantic Ocean collides with the Sahara Desert. While the journey requires a stop in Madrid, return fares from the Spanish capital are remarkably affordable, starting at just €30 (£26). Accommodation options are plentiful, ranging from budget hostels to newly constructed luxury resorts that promote the region as a concealed jewel of Morocco.

However, beneath the glossy marketing and website descriptions lies a complex reality: any traveler booking this trip is arriving in one of the world’s most protracted territorial conflicts. Dakhla is located in Western Sahara, a region the United Nations designates as a "non-self-governing territory." This classification indicates that the local population lacks self-governance. Approximately 80% of Western Sahara is currently occupied and administered by Morocco, its northern neighbor, which regards the area as its "southern provinces" and an integral part of its sovereign territory.

For five decades, the UN has advocated for a resolution to the dispute, including the organization of a referendum, yet the indigenous inhabitants have never had the opportunity to vote on their political future. According to rights organizations and legal experts speaking to the BBC, labeling Western Sahara as Moroccan territory in promotional materials raises significant issues under international law. Critics argue that such marketing practices effectively legitimize Morocco’s occupation. The Moroccan government did not respond to requests for comment regarding these allegations.

Data from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism indicates a surge in interest, with visitor numbers in the Moroccan-controlled portion of Western Sahara increasing by over 50% in the last seven years. The count rose from 490,297 in 2019 to 743,133 in 2025. This tourism boom is largely driven by an expansion in air connectivity. In addition to the national carrier Royal Air Maroc, low-cost and regional airlines such as Ryanair, Transavia France, and Binter Canarias now offer direct flights from Madrid, Paris, and the Canary Islands, respectively.

Tom Ruck, a 29-year-old tourist from the UK, recently traveled to Dakhla from Madrid on Ryanair. He noted that while many resorts are under construction, they remain largely vacant. "It definitely felt like it was in its infancy," Ruck observed, adding that there were only "a few other tourists" around, creating an atmosphere suitable for a relaxed summer family holiday. Upon arrival, Ruck received a Moroccan passport stamp and observed the Moroccan flag displayed prominently throughout the city.

The Moroccan state has made substantial investments in developing tourism infrastructure in Western Sahara in recent years, a move that has incentivized airlines to include these destinations in their networks. Both Ryanair and Transavia France list locations within Western Sahara as part of Morocco. Transavia France stated to the BBC that it operates flights to Dakhla "in accordance with the authorisations received from the authorities." Ryanair has not provided a comment.

In contrast, Binter Canarias, the flag carrier of Spain’s autonomous Canary Islands, diverges from this practice by referring to the region as Western Sahara. The airline operates services to both Dakhla and Laayoune, the territory’s largest city. Erik Hagen, representing the campaign group Western Sahara Resource Watch, criticized airlines that classify the territory as Moroccan. He described the practice as "concerning and misleading," warning that marketing destinations as Moroccan risks "contributing to a distortion of international law and public understanding." Hagen emphasized that such actions raise "serious questions about corporate responsibility and due diligence in politically sensitive and illegally occupied territories."

This trend extends to online booking platforms as well. A search for accommodations in Western Sahara on major international sites like Expedia, Booking.com, and Trivago typically identifies the hotels' locations as being in Morocco. Regarding this categorization, a spokesperson for Booking.com explained that "If a particular region can be categorized as disputed or impacted by conflict, we add information to our platform."

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-24 23:13:50 UTC