Rabat is establishing itself as Morocco’s most dynamic Airbnb market . Revenue there is growing by 11.1% year-on-year, while it is beginning to decline in Marrakech, which is facing a rapid multiplication of available properties.
Airbnb listings continue to multiply in Marrakech, but revenues are no longer keeping pace. With over 12,000 active listings, the average annual income per rental is declining slightly, a sign that competition is beginning to weigh on property owners.
Tangier authorities have launched a campaign to monitor apartments and properties rented without declaration . Mixed commissions have been mobilized to identify violations related to leases and local taxes.
Faced with the surge in real estate prices, the Moroccan government is preparing a legislative offensive to regulate short-term rentals and facilitate home ownership for the middle class. Speaking before the House of Representatives, the Secretary of State for Housing, Adib Benbrahim, pointed to the imbalances created by digital platforms like Airbnb.
It is an uphill battle for students, newlyweds and civil servants. Finding decent affordable housing in Morocco’s major cities is now a challenge. Between the explosion of Airbnb rentals and the paranoia of landlords, the market is jammed.
Tourism is a major pillar of Morocco’s economic growth, but the "all-tourism" strategy could in the future lead to a real housing crisis, as Airbnbs are not yet regulated by law.
While on vacation in Marrakech with friends, an influencer discovers a hidden camera in her Airbnb accommodation. Alerted, the authorities arrested the owner.
While Moroccan tourism professionals denounce the unfair competition they face from Airbnb, voices are being raised to call on the State to authorize rentals by individuals, in the perspective of the 2030 World Cup.
The Office of Foreign Exchange has just launched a large-scale audit operation targeting international financial transfers between owners and beneficiaries of real estate rentals via Airbnb.
While arrivals could reach 15.5 million travelers in 2024, one million more than in 2023, tourism revenues should continue their downward trend noted for 8 months to reach 100 billion dirhams against 105 billion in 2023.
In collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism and Interior, the control services of the Foreign Exchange Office are conducting a large-scale audit of international transfers for the rental of tourist residences via the Airbnb platform.
The American platform Airbnb now prohibits all surveillance cameras inside rental properties. This new rule will come into effect in April in all countries, including Morocco.