Ryanair to invest in Morocco’s domestic market
Morocco will take a bold economic step by allowing commercial airline giant Ryanair to enter its internal air travel market, reports The Arab Weekly and agencies.
A Moroccan government source and a Ryanair official told agencies on November 20 that the low-cost airline plans to operate flights to and from the country in 2024 after their request was approved by the relevant authorities.
Founded in 1984, the Irish-based company is one of the most prominent budget airlines in Europe. Ryanair does not operate outside of the continent therefore the latest agreement will be a boost for them as well as Morocco’s economy.
Tourism expert Al-Zoubeir Bouhout noted that, “The upcoming entry of Ryanair into the market will contribute to the development of the tourism industry and to achieve the preset goals, this industry depends on enhancing air transport to encourage domestic travel and increase the sector’s revenues.” .
READ: Moroccan national carrier cancels flights to Tel-Aviv
The kingdom’s air market is dominated by Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and the introduction of the airline will create competition. It is expected that the move will allow the country to develop the sector.
Last month, RAM announced that they would not be operating flights to and from a key Israeli city, Tel-Aviv due to the troubling situation going on between Gaza and Israel.
It is suggested that one of the factors behind Ryanair investing in Morocco is due to the North African country hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030 alongside Portugal and Spain. Entering Morocco’s air market from next year will allow them to gain a footprint in time for the competition.
Airliner Watch/ The Arab Weekly
