Moroccan national airline RAM to undergo expansion in efforts to boost tourism sector

Morocco is gearing up to significantly expand its national carrier’s fleet in the next 15 years in a bid to elevate the tourism sector, a key component of the North African country’s economy.

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) is set to expand its air fleet significantly in the coming years, with plans to grow from its current 50 aircraft to an impressive 200 over the next 15 years, as announced by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch’s office on Tuesday.

In a significant move for the tourism sector, Akhannouch and RAM CEO Hamid Addou have officially inked a modernisation agreement in Rabat. This collaboration falls under a broader tourism development strategy, with the ambitious goal of drawing in 65 million visitors each year to the country by 2037.

The carrier also plans new routes to international and domestic destinations.

Tourism is a major earner for the Moroccan economy, and tens of thousands of people work in the sector nationwide.

Tourism was hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic but has largely recovered, with around 11 million tourists visiting in 2022 – 84 percent of pre-pandemic arrivals in 2019.

Morocco hopes to attract 17.5 million tourists by 2026 with an expected revenue of 120 billion dirhams (about 11 billion euros), according to the tourism ministry.