16 dirham gas: households and transporters affected

Diesel at 16 dirhams: a heavy blow for households and tourist transport

Since 1er octobre, diesel has crossed the 16 dirhams per litre threshold, now exceeding the price of petrol. This increase directly weighs on household budgets and hits tourist transporters hard, even though public support has been renewed by the supervisory ministry.

At this price level, sector companies are already operating at a loss. Professionals are blunt: if the litre reaches 18 dirhams, many will have no choice but to hand in the keys. Agencies are no longer making any profit; they are merely trying to stay alive. Cash flow is tightening and deadlines are piling up, caught between contracts signed a year in advance at fixed prices, which tour operators refuse to revise, and mounting costs: fuel, motorway tolls, vehicle repayments, social contributions and insurance.

The renewed public aid is deemed derisory. For many members, it amounts to around 1,000 dirhams per month, paid fortnightly, whereas a single fill-up can exceed that amount. Nearly 10 % of companies do not benefit from it at all. Tourist transporters often receive half of what taxis get, on the grounds that the latter provide a service to the public. Yet in Marrakech, small taxis park all day in front of hotels, eating into the market share of organised professionals.

In town, activity has practically ground to a halt. Customers have turned to ride-hailing apps that operate without organisation, oversight or vehicle standards, delivering unfair competition. If the status quo persists, young investors and Moroccans abroad who have placed their savings in this sector will lose confidence, while other operators will be forced unwillingly into the informal economy.

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