Only a few days left before China Eastern Airlines, via its subsidiary Shanghai Airlines, inaugurates, on January 19, a new air link between Shanghai and Casablanca. At the same time, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will restore the direct Casablanca-Beijing route from January 20. New air connections which will strengthen trade between Morocco and China and which could well be marked by the great return of Chinese tourists to Morocco.
Morocco, which reached a record of 180,000 Chinese tourist arrivals in 2019, after welcoming 170,000 visitors in 2018, saw this market heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The closure of the borders then led to a drastic drop, reducing the number of Chinese visitors to 27,979 in 2022. However, the 2023 data reveals a promising recovery, with 59,719 Chinese tourists registered, thus marking a positive dynamic towards the revival of the sector.
Read also | Morocco: a historic year for tourism, arrivals up 20% at the end of November
It must be said that Morocco, which has become a popular destination for Chinese travelers since the visa exemption in 2016, benefits from strengthened relations with China. It should be remembered that bilateral agreements, sealed during the visit of HM King Mohammed VI to China in 2016, marked a significant step forward in Sino-Moroccan relations. And this dynamic should become even more pronounced as RAM recently signed, in Beijing, 16 agreements with Chinese travel agencies for long-term allocations, guaranteeing a good occupancy rate.
Read also | Casablanca-Beijing link: RAM seals its return to China with 16 conventions
Besides Beijing, the national airline plans to expand its network to Shanghai and Guangzhou, and gradually increase the frequency of flights to Beijing from three to seven per week. A strengthening of air connections which, in addition to offering new opportunities to businesses and investors from both countries, will encourage the return of Chinese tourists to the Kingdom and contribute to a well-crafted national strategy.
Read also | We know the date of the inaugural Shanghai-Casablanca flight
Indeed, China occupies a strategic place in the priorities of the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT). Representing one in ten tourists worldwide, this country generates 100 million travelers each year, making it the leading tourist market in terms of volume and revenue. With annual spending exceeding $120 billion, Chinese tourists stand out for their strong purchasing power.
Remember that, as part of its roadmap for 2025, the ONMT aims to attract 2.5 million additional tourists, representing growth of 25% compared to 2024. This objective aims to consolidate the tourist attractiveness of the Morocco, which has already established itself as the leading tourist destination in Africa with 15.9 million arrivals recorded at the end of November 2024, surpassing Egypt (15.7 million).
