During the presentation to Parliament of the reception plan for Moroccans living abroad (MRE) for the 2021 tourist season, the head of government Saâdeddine El Othmani said that the drop in ticket prices will cost a huge sum of money in Morocco.
4.5 billion DH. According to the head of government, this is what Morocco will lose after lowering the prices of plane or boat tickets reserved for MREs wishing to return to the country this summer as part of Operation Marhaba 2021, reports Hespress . A huge loss for the state. King Mohammed VI’s decision to lower ticket prices will apply for three months.
Recalling the number of Moroccans living abroad (5 million, 85% of whom live in Europe, or about 12% of the Moroccan population), Saâdeddine El Othmani said that “180,000 have already returned to Morocco since June 15 , 65% of which last for about a week.” According to him, the fall in the price of boat tickets will cost the state 2 billion. In all, 9 ships mobilized: 8 ships leaving from 3 European cities, Genoa in Italy, and Sète and Marseille in France, and the 9th departs from Marseille and Genoa and serves Tanger Med.
The initial capacity of the 8 ships is around 20,000 passengers and 5,000 cars per week, said El Othmani, and 4,000 passengers and 1,000 cars per week for the last mobilized. According to estimates, this fleet made available to MRE should see an attendance of 650,000 passengers and 180,000 cars. “The total capacity of these ships will increase to around 48,000 passengers and more than 15,000 cars per week” for the summer period between June 15 to September 15, 2021, he said. A new line from Portugal will also be opened.
As for the subsidies granted to the plane tickets of Royal Air Maroc (RAM) for the benefit of the MRE, they will cost 2.5 billion dirhams to the State. According to the head of government, the seats made available will reach 2.5 million seats for the period from June 15 to September 15, “against 358,000 seats during the same period of last year”. The operation to lower aircraft prices was a resounding success. Already 45% of the total seat capacity has been reserved as of June 21, representing 1,080,000 tickets.
According to Saâdeddine El Othmani, one challenge remains to be taken up: to succeed in Operation Marhaba while preserving the achievements made in terms of management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
