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And two! After the next resumption of direct RAM flights between the two metropolises, China Eastern Airlines will open, on January 19, its second African route to Casablanca, after Cairo in December, from its hub in Shanghai-Pudong. A first for the second Chinese carrier which shows that the Moroccan market is attracting growing interest from foreign scheduled airlines, such as United Airlines (USA) and Air Transat (Canada).
“An indirect flight to test the interest of Chinese tourists”
Operated three times a week, namely Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, the new long-haul flight will connect Shanghai-Pudong International Airport to Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, with a stopover of a few hours at Marseille.
Thefts of type devices Boeing 787-9 with a capacity of 285 seatsincluding 26 in business class, will depart Shanghai at 1:55 a.m. (local time) to land in Casablanca at 1:10 p.m., while departures from Morocco will take place at 5:10 p.m. and arrive in Shanghai the next day at 4:50 p.m.
Despite an estimated duration of the trip with a stopover of 22 hours, which can be discouraging for passengers, the specialist in tourist flows, Zoubir Bouhoute, insists on the fact that this indirect flight is first intended to test Chinese interest in the new Moroccan destination, before setting up a direct line.
By choosing to make a technical and commercial stopover in Marseille near the Côte d’Azur, of which the Chinese are very fond, the company China Eastern Airlines hopes, according to him, to ensure the profitability of this long-haul flight when it starts with a combined offer including Morocco.
And to recall that if this company has recently opened a first African route to Cairo, it is very likely that the Shanghai-Marseille-Casablanca flight constitutes a trial run which should, if successful, lead to a connection direct to Morocco.
“A turning point that opens the way for other Chinese companies”
Although it is not a point-to-point flight, our interlocutor believes that this new connection constitutes a real turning point which will have the effect of boosting attendance on the Chinese market and ultimately pushing other regular airlines or low cost to serve Morocco.
“Before deciding to open this flight, China Eastern Airlines identified a lucrative commercial opportunity which will allow it to transport Chinese and French people so that the plane is full,” says Zoubir Bouhoute, adding that after the imminent reopening of the RAM line, this new offer should initiate competition which could have a positive impact on ticket prices.
But, in reality, the main interest of this opening lies in the fact that a major foreign company, also regular and which has a fleet of 600 planes, has taken an interest in the Moroccan market where it has detected significant potential in terms of passenger traffic.
According to our interlocutor, the interest shown by the second Chinese carrier will certainly whet the appetite of other companies in the country looking for commercial opportunities.
“Auspicious opening timing”
While recalling that the opening of this new indirect line coincides with the Chinese New YearZoubir Bouhoute believes that the choice of his timing imposed itself on the company to test the attractiveness of Morocco among a wealthy clientele, fans of cultural discoveries and shopping.
Indeed, the date of the launch of the Asia-Europe-North Africa link, which will coincide with the celebrations between the end of January and mid-February, is not insignificant, knowing that “the spring festival” attracts millions of tourists who take the opportunity to travel in China or abroad.
“A snowball effect that could generate 500,000 to 1 million Chinese visitors by 2030”
Resolutely optimistic, Zoubir Bouhoute estimates that the continuation of the unprecedented upward trend in arrivals, which has upset the roadmap forecasts, should encourage Chinese low-cost companies to invest in Morocco and contribute to generating nearly a million visitors to the 2030 horizon.
Welcoming “this exceptional opportunity” which will strengthen the competitiveness of companies serving the two countries and attract more Chinese tourists, the president of the CRT of Casablanca-Settat, Othmane Cherif Alamihowever, wants to be more cautious in terms of potential arrivals.
“In the absence of serious prospective studies, it is difficult to comment. But, with the next two openings, Morocco should be able to receive 200,000 Chinese visitors in 2025 and around 500,000 by 2030,” concludes the president of the CRT which, despite the undeniable strategic turning point and the political consecration resulting from the technical stopover of the Chinese president received by the crown prince, prefers not to get too enthusiastic quickly.
Strengthening air links between the two countries will have a positive impact on relations between Morocco and China. Abdelkader El Ansari, Ambassador of the Kingdom to Chinawelcomes this in a column published this Thursday, January 9 in the columns of the widely circulated daily China Daily.
“These flights will bring people together by reducing time and distance, while contributing to the increase in the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Morocco,” writes the Moroccan diplomat.
“The Kingdom of Morocco hopes to attract more and more Chinese tourists so that they can discover and appreciate the civilization, architecture, culture, traditions, gastronomy and way of life of a state deeply rooted in “history of more than 14 centuries, characterized by its openness, tolerance, modernity and well-being”, comments Abdelkader El Ansari.
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