Royal Air Maroc boosts tourism and trade with the return of Casablanca-Beijing flights
Moroccan airline Royal Air Maroc inaugurated its new direct scheduled route between Casablanca and Beijing, offering a strategic link between Morocco and China in less than 15 hours flying time.
The first flight on this route between the two cities took off from Mohammed V airport at 16:20 on Monday, 20 January, resuming a route that had originally been inaugurated in January 2020, but was suspended a few weeks later due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The decision to resume this service was announced in August 2024, with the aim of re-establishing and significantly strengthening air connections between Morocco and China, boosting tourism, trade and cultural exchange between the two countries.
RAM CEO Hamid Addou expressed his satisfaction with the relaunch of the route, which he described as ‘long awaited’ and highlighted its relevance for the development and growth of tourism in Morocco, as well as its positive impact on the country's economy and cultural promotion.
Tickets for these flights are now available to the public through the company's website, call centres, sales agencies and network of partner travel agencies. According to RAM's CEO, ‘the Casablanca-Beijing route is primarily dedicated to the development of Moroccan tourism, as 80% of the traffic is expected to be made up of foreign tourists’.
Three weekly flights
According to the company, the new route will operate three flights a week on board Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with a capacity of 302 seats, including 26 in Business Class.
Flights will depart Casablanca every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 16:20 (local time) and land the following day at Beijing International Airport at 11:55 (local time). On the other hand, for return flights, departures from Beijing will be made with the same frequency, but on different days: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 13:55 (local time), landing in Casablanca at 20:10 (local time).
Regarding this new service, Royal Air Maroc recalls that ‘it is in line with the company's commitments within the framework of the Development Plan signed with the Government in July 2023 and is in addition to the new international services recently inaugurated, in particular Toronto and Sao Paulo’.
Strengthening economic and commercial relations
In this sense, this new line will provide Morocco with various possibilities for growth, bearing in mind that China is currently the largest tourist-sending market in the world. The reactivation of this direct route therefore represents an excellent opportunity for Morocco to attract a greater flow of tourists from this country.
Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, there had already been a significant increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Morocco, reflecting China's growing interest in the Moroccan destination.
In addition to tourism, this direct flight is also important for economic exchanges. The two countries have developed and expanded their strong trade ties in recent years, with Chinese investment in various sectors in Morocco, including infrastructure and technology, increasing.
The Casablanca-Beijing route will thus facilitate the travel of businessmen and investors between the two countries, strengthening Royal Air Maroc's competitiveness in the global air market, expanding its international network and maintaining its crucial role in connecting Africa with other continents.