Morocco Sets Up Crisis Cell to Handle Thomas Cook Bankruptcy Fallout

The bankruptcy of Europe’s oldest Tour Operator, Thomas Cook, is also affecting Morocco. Realizing the situation, the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism set up a Crisis Cell on Monday, September 23.

This Cell is composed of Ministry officials, as well as professionals from the National Confederation of Tourism (CNT) and teams from the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT), according to a statement from the Ministry.

Similarly, the delegations of the Ministry of Tourism, in all regions of Morocco, as well as those of the ONMT, have been involved to supervise this operation and to provide as much information as possible at the central level so that this operation takes place under the best conditions.

"The Government and the CAA are working together to assist travelers who were due to return to the United Kingdom with Thomas Cook between September 23 and October 6," the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the body that manages civil aviation in the United Kingdom, specified.

In this regard, an emergency telephone line has been set up (+44 1753 330 330 from abroad), in particular for tourists to whom the hotels would request payments.

The CAA announced on Monday that the travel company Thomas Cook had gone bankrupt. 600,000 clients must be repatriated worldwide, including 150,000 British tourists.

In the first half of 2019, the arrival of British tourists recorded an 18% increase, ahead of France, Spain, Belgium or Italy, according to the ONMT. The two tourist hubs of the country, Marrakech and Agadir, which account for more than half of the country’s overnight stays, should be the most affected by the bankruptcy of the British tour operator.