Africa's most visited country by tourists where flights cost less than £20 in August
It's not just the cheap flights that attract visitors, as there's plenty to see and do once you arrive.
Africa is fast becoming one of the world’s most exciting tourist destinations, with around 75 million people travelling there in 2024. This can’t come as much of a surprise because the world’s second largest continent has a lot to offer.
But there is one country in particular, which is visited more than any other. That nation is Morocco. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, 17.4 million people visited Morocco last year.
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One of the main reasons for its popularity is how easy and cheap it is to get to from Europe.
Flights are available from major UK airports including London Stansted, London Gatwick, London Heathrow and Manchester, with budget airlines like Ryanair and easyJet offering regular routes to cities such as Marrakech, Rabat, Tangier and Fez.
At the time of writing, a Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Ouarzazate on Wednesday, August 20 costs just £14.99 one-way.
A Ryanair flight from Manchester to Rabat on the same day is £19.99, while London Stansted to Fez on Monday August 25 is £21.99.
There are also several other dates in the second half of August where flights can be found for under £25.
But it’s not just the cheap flights that attract visitors. There’s plenty to see and do once you arrive.
According to Visit Morocco, the country is “one of the most attractive destinations in the world thanks to the beauty of diversified natural landscapes, including a variety of seaside resorts and breathtaking sites”.
It has some of Africa’s best beaches, including Dragon Beach in Dakhla, White Beach in Guelmim, Laghzira Beach in Mirleft, Ain Dalia Beach in Tangier, and Quemado Beach in El Hoceima, with crystal-clear water and stunning rocky coasts.
Travel experts at Lonely Planet also say Morocco is a country of “dazzling diversity”, from mountain ranges and desert dunes to colourful cities and quiet beaches.
They say: “One day you could be scaling Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak; the next, you could be meeting designers in Marrakesh, riding the Atlantic rollers in Essaouira, strolling through the twisting blue alleyways of Chefchaouen or savouring street food in the medieval medina of Fez.”
Morocco’s cities are some of the most historic and fascinating in the world.
Marrakech, with its ancient medina and famous Djemaa El Fna square, is packed with colourful buildings and cultural sights.
In Fez, visitors can explore the world’s largest living medieval medina, a maze of souks and workshops dating back to the 8th century.
Casablanca is home to the stunning Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, and is full of impressive architecture.
Meanwhile, Tangier has a long literary history and offers sea views across to Europe.
Whether you want to hike the Atlas Mountains, go surfing on the Atlantic coast, ride camels through the Sahara Desert, or relax at a traditional hammam, Morocco has something for everyone.