Only a few days remain until China Eastern Airlines, through its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, inaugurates a new air route between Shanghai and Casablanca on January 19, 2025. Simultaneously, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will restore the direct Casablanca-Beijing route starting January 20. These new air connections will strengthen exchanges between Morocco and China and could mark the grand return of Chinese tourists to Morocco.
Morocco, which saw a record of 180,000 Chinese tourist arrivals in 2019 after hosting 170,000 in 2018, had this market heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure of borders led to a drastic drop, reducing the number of Chinese visitors to 27,979 in 2022. However, data from 2023 shows a promising recovery, with 59,719 Chinese tourists recorded, indicating a positive momentum towards sector revival.
It’s worth noting that Morocco has become a favored destination for Chinese travelers since the visa exemption in 2016, benefiting from enhanced relations with China. One should recall that bilateral agreements, signed during King Mohammed VI’s visit to China in 2016, marked a significant advancement in Sino-Moroccan relations. This momentum is expected to intensify, especially since RAM recently signed 16 agreements with Chinese travel agencies in Beijing for long-term allotments, ensuring good seat occupancy.
Besides Beijing, the national airline plans to expand its network to Shanghai and Guangzhou, gradually increasing the frequency of flights to Beijing from three to seven per week. This reinforcement of air connections, in addition to offering new opportunities for businesses and investors from both countries, will facilitate the return of Chinese tourists to the Kingdom and contribute to a well-crafted national strategy.
Indeed, China holds a strategic position in the priorities of the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT). Representing one in ten tourists worldwide, this country generates 100 million travelers annually, making it the largest tourism market in terms of volume and revenue. With annual expenditures exceeding $120 billion, Chinese tourists are notable for their high purchasing power.
Remember, as part of its roadmap for 2025, the ONMT aims to attract an additional 2.5 million tourists, representing a 25% growth compared to 2024. This objective aims to solidify Morocco’s appeal as a tourist destination, which has already established itself as Africa’s primary tourist destination with 15.9 million arrivals recorded by the end of November 2024, surpassing Egypt (15.7 million).
