Moroccan Expats Decry Soaring Travel Costs for Summer Visits Home

Mohamed C., a Moroccan residing in Brussels and accustomed to spending his summer vacations in Morocco, deplores this situation. "The prices of air and sea transport for Moroccans of the world are very high this year" compared to 2019, he said, blaming the Moroccan government for its "lack of responsiveness to find effective solutions to this suffering experienced by the Moroccan community living abroad and which is renewed every year".

In an interview with the Madar21 website, the MRE indicated that the rise in fares does not only concern Royal Air Maroc, specifying that "many Moroccans of the world suffer from the greed of other airlines that claim to sell low-cost tickets". The MRE recalls "the press release from the Royal Cabinet published on Sunday, June 13, 2021, in which King Mohammed VI gave instructions to all stakeholders in the transport sector to facilitate the return of the Moroccan community at affordable and accessible prices for all".

The resident in Belgium also criticized the greed of "some unscrupulous travel agencies that have resold these tickets at triple their price or even more in some cases", calling on the government to take its responsibilities and urging Moroccans of the world "to book early, several months before the summer season, to obtain affordable tickets".

Hassan B., a Moroccan residing in Spain, faces the same difficulties every summer to reach Morocco by sea. "The companies that control maritime transport double their fares during this period without any official intervening to limit this excessive surge," denounced the MRE, who said that "many Moroccan families did not travel to Morocco due to the high prices of tickets". He also deplored the long queues of cars at the border posts of Bab Melilla and Bab Sebta, calling on the government to take measures to reduce ticket prices for MREs.