The Middle East War: Morocco emerges as the safe haven destination for vacationers

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the war in the Middle East have caused oil prices to skyrocket. On March 20, the barrel crossed the $216 mark, compared to only $88 before the conflict. Faced with this surge that is hitting airlines hard, Willie Walsh, the CEO of IATA, has already warned that "an increase in airfares is inevitable". With fuel accounting for a quarter of the operation of a route, the Union of French Airports logically expects a sharp contraction in global traffic.

On Bladi.net: MREs and summer vacations: The oil shock that risks emptying flights to Morocco

The pricing repercussions are already very concrete. Air France and KLM have applied increases ranging from 10 euros on short routes to 70 euros for flights to North America. For its part, Cathay Pacific will increase its surcharge by 34% from April. Only EasyJet manages to maintain its prices for the moment, saved by its anticipated fuel purchases and its absence from the Middle Eastern market.

Faced with this instability, vacationers refuse to sacrifice their holidays and prefer to postpone rather than cancel, notes the insurer Allianz Partners. According to the daily Ouest-France, tourists are massively turning to nearby safe havens. Christophe Fuss, CEO of TUI France, confirms this strong dynamic that is profitable for Morocco: "We are seeing real demand for destinations perceived as more secure", also citing Spain, Italy, Tunisia or Greece.

On Bladi.net: Airline tickets: Why flights to Morocco will cost more

While these places remain accessible for the time being, this sudden concentration of demand should inevitably drive up prices. To attract these travelers demanding maximum reassurance, the tour operator is adapting by offering an unprecedented flexibility offer. Called the "Plan B", it allows customers who booked this spring to change their destination or dates free of charge up to fifteen days before departure.