04/07/2024
Moroccan Ministry Clarifies: No Financial Aid for Ryanair's Internal Flights
Internal flights for Ryanair have not received any financial support from the ministry. The Ministry of Tourism, Traditional Industry, Social Economy, and Solidarity has confirmed that no financial support or assistance has been provided to Ryanair for operating domestic flights in Morocco, in response to some questions raised by the media. The ministry clarified in a statement regarding concerns about financial support given to Ryanair by the Moroccan National Tourism Office for operating internal flights, stating that "no financial support or assistance has been provided to Ryanair for operating domestic flights in Morocco, as was initially stated and will remain the same." The ministry also emphasized that the partnership with Ryanair does not directly compete with Royal Air Maroc, as the goal of such partnerships is integration. This helps strengthen air connections, including connections between regions.
The internal flights offered by Ryanair (such as Tangier-Es-Souira, Oujda-Marrakech, and Fez-Agadir) contribute to enhancing connections between regions in Morocco, promoting domestic tourism, and enabling foreign tourists to extend their stays by visiting areas that were previously difficult to access. Regarding the option of paying in foreign currency for domestic flights, despite the commitment to provide services in Moroccan dirhams to Moroccan citizens, the ministry pointed out that "Ryanair and its teams are working diligently to resolve the issue of transactions deducted from the tourism quota." On the other hand, the ministry mentioned that recent tourism figures in Morocco, including a record-breaking 14.5 million tourists in 2023, demonstrate the exceptional potential of Morocco as a destination. These numbers underscore the need to enhance air transport capacity to achieve ambitious goals outlined in the tourism roadmap and upcoming sporting events such as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, emphasizing that the real challenge at present is development rather than avoiding competition. The ministry noted that Morocco must rely on national airlines as well as international companies, recalling the ambitious program signed by the government with Royal Air Maroc to increase its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037, providing unprecedented means for expansion and development.