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Rabat – Moroccan airports welcomed more than 1,871,000 passengers in February 2023, representing an 11% increase compared to February 2019, Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) has announced.
Meanwhile, airports across the country recorded 14,432 flight movements in February 2023, ONDA added, reporting a recovery rate of 98% compared to the same period in 2019.
Morocco’s tourism industry was heavily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the help of several government-led initiatives, the country managed to get the sector back on track.
The Moroccan Minister of Tourism Fatim Zahra Ammor said last week that “the sector has recovered 116% of tourism revenues in foreign currency compared to 2019.” Ammor also announced the launch of the 2023-2026 roadmap to strengthen the country’s tourism industry.
The minister celebrated the “unprecedented momentum” that the country is experiencing, adding that the roadmap offers a golden opportunity to “transform the tourism sector, both in terms of quantity and quality.”
Read also: Tourism Recovery: Morocco Records Over 19 Million Overnight Stays in 2022
ONDA noted that Moroccan airports have seen a significant number of departures and arrivals last month, with Casablanca Mohammed V airport taking the lead. The airport welcomed 636,989 passengers via 5,410 flights, representing a 99% recovery rate compared to February 2019 in pre-pandemic times.
Several other Moroccan airports recorded significant growth rates compared to February 2019, including the airports of Tangier (49% growth rate), Agadir (19%), Nador (16%), Marrakech (15%), and Essaouira (13%).
The upward trend has been particularly noticeable in the airports of Ouarzazate (99% recovery rate), Dakhla (95%), and Al Hoceima (90%).
ONDA indicated that Morocco’s domestic air traffic received 179,406 passengers in February 2023, representing a recovery rate of 93% compared to February 2019.
Meanwhile, the country’s international air traffic received 1,691,689 passengers, up by 13% compared to the same period in 2019.
The Moroccan airport’s office noted that the global market has also seen a remarkable air traffic recovery during the same period, including in Europe (17%), North America (52%), Africa (2%), and the Middle and Far East (4%).
