Shanghai Airlines launched its first direct commercial flight route on Sunday to connect Shanghai to Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, Chinese media reported.
The airline is the first Chinese carrier to operate a route between the two cities.
Run by China Eastern Airlines’ subsidiary, the service will operate three times a week with a stopover in Marseille, France.
Morocco’s visa-free policy for Chinese citizens, introduced in 2016, has already spurred a surge in tourism from China.
The number of tourists from China increased by nearly 80% in 2024 over the previous year, with more than 100,000 visitors last year. As the Chinese New Year holiday approaches, the new route provides even more opportunities for Chinese tourists to explore North Africa.