Air

Air transport : a voluntarist open-sky policy

The key equation on which the development strategy of the tourist sector in Morocco is based deals mainly with the synchronization of the bed capacity with air-seats offer which should allow the number of expected tourists to be transported by the year 2010, and that in accordance with the Framework Agreement and the Implementation Agreement.

Since February 2004, Morocco has been engaged in a structured and clear policy concerning the liberalization of its sky. Such a policy has quickly borne fruit :

• Entry of new airlines;
• Creation of the first Moroccan low-cost airlines intended for tourism : Atlas Blue followed by Jet 4 You;
• Setting up of partnerships with integrated TO of the major issuing markets designed for Morocco (France, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy) with a view to densifying some priority lines and to putting in place new ones and mainly point to point, linking the European cities with Moroccan destinations (Fez, Marrakech, Agadir,.etc)

This policy has been accompanied by the adoption of incentive measures such as :

• The setting up of a new pricing policy in the field of airport taxes, stimulating thus the increase in the air frequencies scheduled for "Morocco" destination and the creation of new air links with Morocco ;
• The stimulation of the drop in prices as regards "Handling" and the concession of the second licence in favour of a private operator at the airports of Casablanca (CMN), Marrakech (RAK) and Agadir (AGA), since the end of 2004.

Nowadays, this open sky policy is confirmed by the next coming into force of the open sky agreement between Morocco and the European Union (Signed in December 2006). This agreement provides Morocco with new prospects, and more particularly thanks to the entry, into the Moroccan sky, of some European low cost companies such as Ryanair or Easy Jet whose low price and the great marketing capacity, via Internet, (95% of sales) will permit Morocco to target new tourist segments.

The impact of this liberalization has been almost immediate on the air traffic which recorded satisfactory results in 2004 and 2006:

• +8.5 million international passengers in 2006 against 5.5million passengers in 2003.
•  International air traffic:+19% in 2006,+21% in 2005,+16% in 2004, against +3% in 2003;
• 355 "point to point" international frequencies/week in 2006.
• +160 frequencies/week over 2003-2006 period, against +12% frequencies/week over 1999-2002 period.