2023-09-11 22:18:01
On Sunday, Moroccan authorities counted at least 2,000 dead following the powerful earthquake in the center of the country late Friday evening. The time has come for mourning, for the search for bodies and survivors, but the question of the economic consequences is already being raised. The earthquake brought a sudden halt to a sector which was experiencing strong vitality this year, and which represents nearly 7% of Moroccan GDP.
“Materially, we can go to Morocco, but we are not forcing anyone to leave under these conditions so we facilitate the postponement, either to another destination or to another date, free of charge,” summarizes Jean-Pierre Mas, president of Entreprises du Journey.
The message from the Union of Tour Operating Companies, which on Saturday called on the main French tour operators to demonstrate “commercial flexibility”, seems to have been heard: all have chosen to facilitate the postponement of the trip, or even its cancellation.
Even if Moroccan airports remain open and most flights to and from Morocco are maintained at this stage, airlines are also making a gesture. Royal Air Maroc offers passengers “ticket holders from and to Marrakech and Agadir (direct and transit), with a flight date until September 23, to make a free change to the same cabin (the same class), subject to availability, from and to the same destinations, for a travel date within 15 days following the date of their initial flight. » All requests must be sent to the original point of sale before September 12.
The Quai d’Orsay advises the postponement of trips
At Air France, only trips between September 9 and 12, from or to Morocco, can be postponed free of charge until September 20 (in the same class), advanced or canceled free of charge.
If passengers wish to cancel a theoretically non-refundable ticket, Air France offers a refund in the form of a credit, valid for one year. “If necessary, we will add flights in the coming days. And in the event of a postponement, there should be no price difference,” we are told at Air France.
Contacted, the company Transavia also offers a postponement of the trip free of charge, and without deadline, for passengers bound for Marrakech who had to go there within seven days. “When you go through certain low-cost or online agencies, it’s less obvious,” warns Didier Arino, director of the Protourisme consulting firm. Operators like Ryanair or Easyjet do everything to dissuade travelers from getting reimbursed. »
On the side of the French authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises “to the extent possible to postpone travel to Marrakech and to areas affected by the earthquake”, even “if Moroccan territory remains open”.
A more complicated situation for independent travelers
The flexibility of tour operators currently extends to only a few days, but postponements might be “extended depending on how the situation evolves,” underlines Jean-Pierre Mas. The next weekend will certainly be affected. »
This flexibility only concerns a minority of travelers. Of the four million French people who visit Morocco each year, most organize their stay themselves, without going through a travel agency. “For those who buy a plane ticket and at the same time reserve nights in a riad or private accommodation, everything will depend on the policy of the air carrier they have chosen and their host,” observes Jean- Pierre Mas.
In the Club Med of Marrakech, some material damage affected the resort. So far, the club has received very few calls. “We are offering customers who were supposed to leave this weekend either to do so (some have done so), or to change destination, or to postpone their stay free of charge,” indicates the company. If this is not possible, we offer a credit for the amount of the stay. »
No French people died in tourist infrastructure at the time of the earthquake. For Didier Arino, “this shows that they were built to seismic standards and that is rather reassuring. »
It is too early to assess the consequences of the earthquake on the tourism sector, but professionals in the sector are confident. “It’s the start of the high season for Moroccans, and it lasts until April,” continues Jean-Pierre Mas. From experience, with each event of this type, the impact remains short-term. » According to him, there will undoubtedly be a “hold on reservations” for a month or two. No more.
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