The Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) and Canadian Air Transat signed a strategic partnership on Wednesday to strengthen cooperation in logistical arenas; specifically, the airline will open a direct route between Montreal and Marrakech by June 2024 to become the first North American airline to offer nonstop flights to Morocco.
The Canadian carrier will fly to Marrakech twice a week during summer, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and once a week (Saturdays) between November to April.
This Montreal-Marrakech route is also the first point-to-point connection to Morocco from North America exclusive of the Casablanca hub.
It will open up a wide range of possibilities for travelers, with access to the seaside resorts of Essaouira, Taghazout and Agadir, as well as to mountain and ecotourism destinations (Azilal, Beni Mellal, etc.), the South (Ouarzazate, Zagora, and Merzouga), and even the city break and cultural destinations of the North (Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes and Fez).
The ONMT scheduled a side event for Canadian TOs, travel agencies, and the media in conjunction with this agreement. Hamid Bentahar, President of the National Confederation of Tourism (CNT), and Lahcen Zelmat, President of the National Federation of Hotels Industry (FNIH), joined Adel El Fakir and the ONMT teams in Montreal to commemorate the occasion.
The company’s new campaign also supplements its existing connection in Morocco, namely the historic Casablanca-Montreal route operated by Royal Air Maroc, a strategic destination for the Oneworld alliance carrier.
Marrakech accounts for 24% of Canadian tourist arrivals in Morocco, a figure that could rise to 40% if it becomes the main departure city for package tours or combined trips.
Over the past 10 years, seat capacity from Canada to Morocco has increased by 87%, from 87,000 to 164,000 seats per year. From January to September 2023, arrivals totaled 82,590, with a 23% capacity increase planned for next winter.
To optimize the potential of this buoyant market, the ONMT plans to open a representative office in Montreal in 2024.