Rabat – International airlines appear happy to return to Morocco as tourism slowly revives, with Ryanair and Emirates increasing flights. After the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic Morocco closed its borders to all international travel bringing tourism to a painful halt.
Millions of Moroccans who work in the tourism sector will be glad to see the increasing number of international flights returning to Morocco’s airports. For many the absence of international and even domestic tourists has made 2020 a difficult year, especially for those working in the informal sector. The major airlines returning to Morocco are providing a glimmer of hope.
Ryanair
Irish budget airline Ryanair today announced that it will increase its flights to and from Morocco during the winter, according to a company statement cited by Le360. Starting on October 25 the airline will resume operation of 58 flights per week concerning 45 destinations. The resumption of affordable flights will help bring tourists and Moroccans living abroad from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
In order to promote its resumption of weekly flights, Ryanair is offering special low fares in order to entice customers to book within the coming week. The special flights will be available for booking via Ryanair’s official website for a limited time, according to the statement.
Ryanair’s commercial director Jason McGuinness expressed delight to return to Morocco in the press release: “We are delighted to support the Moroccan tourism sector by once again providing flights from 8 Moroccan airports,” McGuinness stated, according to the same source.
The Ryanair flights will serve Morocco’s airports in Agadir, Essaouira, Fez, Nador, Oujda, Marrakech, Rabat, and Tangier.
Emirates
Shortly before Ryanair’s return, on September 18, Emirates Airline resumed flights connecting Dubai and Morocco, operating three per week.
The North African country is “an important market for Emirates in Africa,” said Emirates Managing Director Rashed Al Fajeer to Morocco’s state media. Al Fajeer said that resuming regular flights to Casablanca’s airport airport showed the company’s “confidence in this destination and its strong growth potential.”
Al Fajeer sees the revival of use of the route connecting the Untied Arab Emirates and Morocco as demonstrating Emirates’ “total commitment to contribute to the development of tourism and trade in the Kingdom.”
According to the company’s director in Morocco, it is likely to take two years before Emirates flights return to levels seen in 2019. “I hope that by then, many countries will have fully opened their borders and relaxed entry conditions and that their economies will return to normal,” Al Fareej stated.
