Contributor - Middle East

Peter Shaw-Smith

Opening in early 2020, Jetex’s Marrakech FBO was an indication that the Dubai-based international FBO operator’s organic growth strategy was bearing fruit in Morocco’s premier tourist location.
“We officially opened Marrakech in February 2020,” said Julian Pitaresi, Jetex’s general manager for France and Morocco. “Unfortunately, in March that year, Covid came along.” Pitaresi noted that the Kingdom’s regulations were very strict, and it was fully locked down for almost two years as a result.
What few flights the facility received had to adhere to very specific authorizations, but Pitaresi was confident the FBO would survive Covid due to the Jetex brand. “When Morocco was in lockdown, everything was open on the other side in Dubai,” he explained. “Thanks to the network, we achieved a kind of balance in different places. With more than 80 people in the company in Morocco, we had to find a way to keep them motivated and active, using the time to get certifications and upgrade training.”
When the border finally reopened in March last year, it spurred an upswing in visitors to the African country. “I read in the news that in May this year, tourist arrivals were up 63 percent compared to May 2019,” Pitaresi told AIN. “The FIFA World Cup definitely had an impact. People were quick to congratulate Morocco on its achievement in reaching the semi-finals.”
Jetex has 86 employees in Morocco, 56 of them in Marrakech. It also runs FBOs in Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, and Dakhla, the latter opening in the first quarter of this year. “We do have this supervisory network, so we can send someone to any airport just to ensure that the handling will be at the level that we require for the passengers,” Pitaresi explained.
The latest figures from the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA) show that Jetex handled 82 percent of the FBO traffic in Marrakech. Its terminal there, modeled off the company’s Dubai facility, measures 1,000 square meters (10,765 square feet). On the ground floor, there are separate entrances for staff, crew, and VIPs. Upstairs are company offices and meeting rooms, for an additional 250 square meters (2,690 square feet) of space.
Pitaresi has seen more and more Americans coming to Marrakech, with Oprah Winfrey and Robert de Niro among the recent more notable guests. “More and more people want to come,” said Pitaresi. “Marrakech [hosted] the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in October.”
Aside from the U.S. and European passengers, Pitaresi also sees Morocco as a destination for Middle Easterners. “They really like coming here on vacation,” he said. “It is a very important station for us because people coming from Dubai are also going to Paris and London. This is why we invested so heavily—it’s an important destination and has become integral to the reputation of the company. Business aviation has only just started to grow in Morocco. This is the first FBO that we fully built in Morocco—and the most luxurious in Africa.”
Another factor in Marrakech’s favor as a destination is that Tit Mellil—the business airport planned to serve the nation’s commercial hub, Casablanca, starting in 2025—has been “indefinitely postponed,” according to Pitaresi, making operators more likely to select his destination.
The Kingdom’s private jet owners operate a wide mix of jets from leading OEMs. Included among them are two charter companies: Rabat-based Air Ocean Maroc and Casablanca’s Sarah Airways. “Together, they have nine aircraft, including the Hawker 800XP, the Learjet 45, the Legacy 600, and the Falcon 100,” said Pitaresi.
He added that everyone seems very interested in Morocco these days. “Business opportunities exist; the private sector and even the government are helping. Earlier, it was perhaps a little complicated, but now it’s become very easy. Morocco is progressing—tourism is big here and many businesses invest in it.”
Pitaresi sees the Kingdom as one of the easiest places to handle an aircraft. “We see high rates of satisfaction from our clients in Morocco,” he said. “People really like the spirit and power of the brand, and the mix of hospitality and aviation.”

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