Moroccan Expats Boost Air Travel to Northern Cities, Surpassing Pre-Pandemic Levels

The cancellation of the Marhaba Operation, which allowed MREs from Europe to reach Morocco by boat during the summer season, has favored this increase in air traffic at the airports of these cities located in northern Morocco, a region from which a large part of the MREs residing in Europe originate. Thus, the passenger traffic of Tetouan airport increased by more than 133% in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, reports L’Économiste. The trend is the same at the Ibn Batouta airports in Tangier and Cherif El Idrissi in Al Hoceima, which saw their traffic increase by 114% and 106% respectively during the period.

To read: Morocco Sees 65% Recovery in International Air Travel as Expats Return Home

The attractiveness of the northern region for MREs justifies this increase in traffic, explains the same source, specifying that MREs from Europe account for 74% of this traffic facilitated by the establishment of direct air links with the main European cities. In this sense, Ryanair is about to launch a dozen additional air links from Morocco, and precisely from Tetouan, to the airports of Madrid, Alicante and Seville.

Tangier airport will also benefit from two additional links to Malaga, the capital of Spanish tourism. This will allow MREs living in southern Spain to reach Morocco more easily.