In Morocco, tourist carriers can no longer endure the setbacks imposed by the coronavirus crisis on their activities which have been forced to stop for more than a year and whose recovery is not on the horizon. Through the voice of their federation, they warn about this situation which causes unpaid debts, seizures of goods and legal proceedings and propose measures to avoid the massacre in the sector.
Raising the alert, the secretary general of the National Federation of Tourist Transport in Morocco (FNTT Maroc) indicated that the sector is sinking in agony and the situation of tourist transport companies is worsening day by day while no This is not a sign of the very imminent resumption of activities.
“In the absence of a reaction from the government, things are likely to get worse,” says Mohamed Bamansour, who warns of the bankruptcy of 10% of entrepreneurs in the sector where 1640 agencies operate. Alongside the few thousand that were operating before the crisis, 160 new structures received their approval in 2020 but were never able to start activities and are heavily in debt, he points out bitterly.
The secretary general of FNTT Maroc reports, however, that the majority of professionals will continue to suffer the repercussions of this crisis 36 months after the return to normal.
The other issue that worries tourism transport professionals is related to funding. And on this subject, Mr. Bamansour affirms that the 79% of the structures financed by the financing companies have not been able to keep their commitments and are consequently harassed by the financial support institutions despite the moratorium on the repayment of loans to the profit of the tourist transport companies which are bent under the blow of the debt. Clause 7 of the program contract stipulates that deferrals are activated without interest and without penalties, he adds further that the federation has received claims from no less than 300 companies for more than 1,400 loan files.
“The rejection of certain postponement requests, the use of exorbitant interest rates for accepted cases, threat of seizure of vehicles … For some operators, legal proceedings are initiated by banks and finance companies for unpaid debts during this period. pandemic ”, details Bamansour.
Faced with the situation, FNTT Maroc is requesting arbitration from Bank Al Maghrib following the failure of various negotiations with GPBM and APSF. Beyond this arbitration, the federation takes urgent action to preserve the sector, protect the interests of investors and support the thousands of employees and their families.
Concretely, it proposes a deferral of loan repayments with a single, solidarity-based rate guaranteed by the CCG, like the “Damane Oxygene” and “Relance” credits that it considers unsuitable for the nature of the activity. The federation also proposes to maintain the Covid monthly lump sum allowance until the end of the pandemic. Bamansour and his colleagues also recommend extending the Covid allowance to employees working seasonally or having lost their jobs before February 2020.
Speaking of taxes, tourist carriers want the suspension of any levy or payment of tax arrears or fiscal charges during the period of the state of health emergency.
