A new cry of distress launched by tourism stakeholders. After the hoteliers, the tourist transporters are launching a final appeal to the government to save the activity frozen for 18 months.
“The sector is in the final stage of its gradual death. The authorities seem to attend with astonishing indifference. During these 18 unprecedented months, they demonstrated insensitivity to the various calls, proposals and questions emanating from the federation. This period has taught everyone the meaning of resilience,” indicates the National Federation of Tourist Transport in a recent press release. And to specify that “the challenge today is to urgently save thousands of jobs, come to the aid of tens of thousands of families who survive thanks to this sector, to preserve an essential link in the tourism chain and to prepare for the recovery with innovative tools becoming necessary following the consequences of the pandemic”. For tourist transporters, saving the sector remains a shared responsibility between professionals, public authorities and financial institutions. To this end, the federation is issuing new proposals which take into account not only the impact of the situation but also the correction of certain measures put in place. Let us cite for this purpose the Covid compensation paid until the end of June 2021 randomly and very often late.
The federation therefore proposes to extend the Covid compensation until the end of December 2021 as well as to suspend all formal notice procedures, legal proceedings and vehicle seizure initiated by credit organizations. The federation also recommends deferring the repayment of credit installments until June 30, 2022 with a review clause which will take into account the possible persistence of the crisis. It also calls for the establishment of a system for reprofiling accumulated credit maturities supported by a state guarantee in return for an exemption from interim interest and various costs corresponding to the entire crisis period. It is also proposed to cancel all taxes and duties issued during the crisis period, to provide fiscal and social support measures to support the recovery of the sector as well as to take into account the period of cessation of activity to relax and, if necessary, postpone the regulatory deadlines and deadlines relating to the exercise of activity (renewal of the various authorizations and approvals).
Professionals in the sector hope that their cry would finally be heard so that the government can put in place emergency measures. It should be remembered that tourist transport generated foreign currency inflows of around 78 billion dirhams in 2019. Specialists expect the amount of 140 billion from 2025/2030, an achievable objective taking into account Morocco’s potential and varied offering.
