Rabat – Moroccan airports exceeded pre-pandemic levels of traffic in January 2023, welcoming nearly 2 million passengers.
Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) announced on Tuesday that Moroccan airports welcomed a total of 1,981,294 passengers in January 2023, recording a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2019.
The COVID-19 crisis has heavily impacted global air traffic, including that of Morocco, a country whose economy heavily relies on the tourism sector.
The pandemic took a huge toll on Morocco’s tourism and hospitality industry, with the North African country launching a series of initiatives to put the sector back on track to recovery.
ONDA detailed that Moroccan airports have witnessed a significant number of departures and arrivals in January 2023. Casablanca Mohammed V airport took the lead, welcoming 722,402 passengers via 6,173 flights. The figures represent a 92% recovery rate compared to January 2019.
The upward trend has extended to several other airports across Morocco, including the airports of Tangier Ibn Battouta (40% recovery), Oujda Angad (41%), Agadir Al Massira (16%), Marrakech Menara (13%), and Nador Al Aaroui (13%).
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Other Moroccan airports that recorded significant recovery rates include Dakhla (88%), Ouarzazate (71%), and Al Hoceima Cherif Al Idrissi (90%).
ONDA noted that Morocco’s domestic air traffic welcomed 201,340 passengers in January 2023, representing a recovery rate of 91% compared to the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, Moroccan international air traffic welcomed 1,779,954 passengers.
The global market has also seen notable traffic recovery rates during the same period, including in Europe (13%), North America (32%), Africa (98%), the Middle and Far East (94%), and the Maghreb countries (56%).
