Morocco’s tourism push in western Sahara fuels sovereignty debate

Travelers seeking sun-drenched coastal escapes at unbeatable prices are flocking to Dakhla, a windswept peninsula where the Sahara desert meets the Atlantic. With budget flights from Madrid starting at just €30 round-trip and a growing selection of accommodations ranging from budget hostels to luxury resorts, the city is being marketed as Morocco’s hidden gem. But beneath the glossy promotions lies a decades-old territorial dispute that has drawn international scrutiny.

Dakhla sits within the Western Sahara, a region the United Nations has long classified as a non-self-governing territory. This designation means its indigenous population lacks the ability to govern itself independently. Instead, around 80% of the territory is occupied and administered by neighboring Morocco, which views the region as integral to its national sovereignty and refers to it as its southern provinces.

The decades-long conflict has defied resolution despite repeated UN efforts to broker a referendum on self-determination. The indigenous Sahrawi people have never had the chance to vote on their political future, leaving the dispute unresolved since the territory’s colonial past ended in 1976 when Spain withdrew.

tourism as a strategic tool in a contested land

Morocco has significantly ramped up tourism development in Western Sahara in recent years, a strategy observers say aims to solidify its control over the region. The number of visitors to Moroccan-administered areas has surged by over 50% in the past seven years, climbing from 490,297 in 2019 to 743,133 in 2025, according to official tourism ministry figures.

The boom is being fueled by expanded air travel options. Major carriers like Ryanair, Transavia France, and Binter Canarias now offer direct flights to Dakhla from European hubs such as Madrid, Paris, and the Canary Islands. Tourism officials have framed the region as a pristine destination, with promotional materials highlighting its natural beauty and adventure sports like kitesurfing.

British traveler Tom Ruck recently flew to Dakhla from Madrid on Ryanair. He described the experience as still in its early stages, noting that while new resorts were under construction, they remained largely empty. He observed few other tourists beyond families on summer holidays and recalled receiving a Moroccan passport stamp upon arrival. Flags of Morocco are prominently displayed throughout the city.

ethical concerns and legal ambiguities

Human rights advocates and legal experts warn that marketing Western Sahara as part of Morocco raises serious questions under international law. By labeling the territory as Moroccan in travel promotions and booking platforms, companies risk normalizing an occupation that the United Nations has not recognized.

Erik Hagen, spokesperson for Western Sahara Resource Watch, argues that airlines and booking sites misrepresent the region’s legal status. When businesses present Western Sahara as a Moroccan destination, they distort international law and public understanding, he stated. This raises critical questions about corporate accountability and due diligence in illegally occupied territories.

Major booking platforms have faced criticism for listing hotels in Western Sahara under Morocco. Booking.com acknowledged that when regions are contested or affected by conflict, they provide travelers with additional context to help inform their decisions. The company directs users to consult official government travel advisories and maintains a globally consistent approach to such listings.

Dr. Andrea Maria Pelliconi, a human rights and international law expert at the University of Southampton, contends that companies have a legal and ethical obligation to distinguish Western Sahara from Morocco. Failure to do so could expose them to litigation for violating international law, Sahrawi rights to self-determination, consumer protection regulations, and EU competition rules, she warned.

Some companies have begun to adjust their practices. Last year, Airbnb removed references to Western Sahara as part of Morocco from its listings following pressure from advocacy groups.

a region caught between occupation and aspiration

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1976, when Madrid withdrew and Morocco moved to annex the territory. A subsequent armed conflict erupted between Moroccan forces and the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi independence movement that established an autonomous government in the eastern strip of the territory.

A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991 promised a referendum on self-determination, but the vote never materialized. While Morocco has proposed an autonomy plan under its sovereignty, the Polisario Front has consistently rejected it. The movement’s representative in the UK and Ireland, Sidi Breika, accused Morocco of using tourism to impose a fait accompli on the territory’s future. Most tourists visiting are not fully aware of the situation, he said. Every project in the illegally occupied territory violates the Sahrawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination and independence, as recognized by the UN.

Breika added that the Polisario Front is closely monitoring airlines like Ryanair and considering legal action. The movement’s stance remains firm: economic investment cannot replace the right of the Sahrawi people to decide their own future.

In October, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara for another year and signaled support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, marking a shift in international diplomatic alignment. The move followed a 2020 decision by the United States to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty claim in exchange for its normalization of relations with Israel.

Despite these developments, international law continues to uphold the necessity of a mutually agreed political solution under UN supervision. The Polisario Front has repeatedly rejected the autonomy plan, insisting that only a referendum reflecting the will of the Sahrawi people can bring lasting peace.