Moroccan Event Industry Struggles as COVID-19 Restrictions Continue, Calls for Reopening Grow

Unlike professionals in other sectors, those in the events industry believe that government support is not enough to help save the sector. For them, a gradual resumption of activities would help correct things. Moreover, several demonstrations have been organized in several regions of the Kingdom by professionals in the sector to express their frustration. They demand that the restrictive measures weighing on the sector be relaxed to allow them to provide for their needs and those of their loved ones, reports the MAP.

According to Abdelrhani Bensaid, Vice-President of the Moroccan Federation of Caterers (FMT), the damage is enormous at the sector level. Almost 90% of the sector’s operators are in total shutdown and without income. "The kitchens are deserted, the trucks are blocked, the equipment as well, and this from International Women’s Day, where all events were canceled. We are in a really catastrophic situation," he explains. They had hoped that with the deconfinement, they would also be called upon to resume service. But they are carrying out an activity that goes against certain provisions of the preventive measures taken by the authorities to fight the spread of the coronavirus. "I find it strange that they prohibit this sector in particular from carrying out its activity," complains Bensaid.

The program contract set up by the Economic Monitoring Council to support the events sector provides for two agreements. The first is a stimulus loan that is only granted to caterers who are structured. Only about 10% are concerned since most of them operate in the informal sector. The second agreement is the 2,000 dirhams granted to personnel and employees. This amount, according to Abdelrhani Bensaid, "is not at all an advantage, because there are people who, before the crisis, were earning more than 10,000 dirhams, so 2,000 dirhams will not change anything for them. Even though so far, no one has yet received this allowance," he said, wondering what could have caused this delay.

The Moroccan Federation of Caterers is convinced that if there is a health protocol for the sector, professionals will make it a duty to follow it to the letter, since it is a matter of their health and safety protection, specifies the same source.