The Moroccan Airports Authority is upgrading the capacity of seven airports in the country, including the two terminals at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International airport.

The expansion of Mohammed V’s Terminal 1 is under way and involves building additional capacity for 7 million passengers a year. Construction work is set to start in 2017 on the upgrade of Terminal 2, which will expand the existing capacity from 3 million passengers a year to 9 million.

The expansion of Terminal 1 is estimated to cost MD1.64bn ($164m), while the planned Terminal 2 upgrade would require $99.7m.

A new terminal is planned at the Fes Saiss airport. The project has a budget of $47.9m and a design capacity of 2 million passengers annually.

The construction of a new terminal, costing an estimated $137m, is also under way at the Marrakech Menara airport.

Minor upgrades for airports in Nador, Guelmim, Errachidia and Ouarzazate are being undertaken. These improvements cost $13.5m, $24.8m, $8.8m and $1.7m respectively.

Morocco, like its North African neighbours Tunisia and Egypt, is an established seaside holiday destination, with European tourists often choosing between the three countries.

The terrorist attack on a Tunisian beach in 2015 was seen to have an impact on neighbouring countries such as Morocco, which heavily depend on the tourism sector.