Postponing the start of the school year until October 1 could benefit tourist cities like Marrakech, we learn from L’Economiste in today’s issue. The daily indicates that accommodation establishments did not wait to concoct offers for families, on networks and reservation platforms. Note that the summer season was more or less disappointing for professionals in the tourism sector. The daily explains that, while some hotels have managed to do well by ensuring almost 50% occupancy rates, others have had less luck and less customers. We also note that, overall, the average price (a very important indicator of the health of establishments) has fallen and, since the start of summer, hotels have made great efforts in terms of promotion to attract families. However, we learn that points of sale are almost empty for all establishments, due to the drop in family budgets, the curfew imposed at 9 p.m. and the absence of MICE activity.
L’Economiste underlines that MREs helped fill hotel rooms during the summer and that, since the resumption of air travel through special flights, some fifty planes land every day at Menara airport, from European countries and Israel, a very promising market for Marrakech. The daily goes on to explain that 4 Israeli companies have scheduled direct flights to the destination and that RAM should follow suit. However, it goes without saying that these three markets are not going to save the tourism sector in Marrakech. L’Economistealso points out that the main hotels in the area have recorded net losses, and that the city has more than 80,000 tourist beds with 1,000 accommodation establishments, two-thirds of which have been closed since 2020. “Not to mention the restaurants, transporters and tour operators who are also at a standstill given the lack of international tourists. Disappointed by the summer of 2021, the National Federation of the Hotel Industry (FNIH) has sounded the alarm on the economic situation of accommodation units,” explains the daily, adding that the latter affirm that what is currently at stake concerns their viability, their ability to maintain employment and to honor their fiscal, social and financial commitments.
source: le360.ma
