The MEBAA Show Morocco will bring business aviation to the north African region, according to founding and executive chairman of MEBAA Ali Alnaqbi and CEO of Office National des Aeroports (ONDA) Zuhair Mohamed El Aoufir. The pair conducted a press conference for around 40 members of the media, providing insights into the event, which will take place 25-26 September at Marrakech Menara airport, preceded by the MEBAA Conference Morocco on 24 September.

“The business aviation sector in Morocco shows promising potential,” stated Alnaqbi, before adding that it also increases employment and economic opportunities for Morocco and the rest of the region. “70 per cent of private jet usage is for business purposes, while the remaining 30 per cent is for pleasure. With figures such as this, it's hardly surprising that the industry has such positive implications. The MEBAA Show Morocco was developed in order to give north Africa the chance to access this growing industry, in the same way the MEBAA Show in Dubai does for the Middle East.”

Morocco now has five FBOs, and ONDA and MEBAA have a ten year agreement for the show to take place in Morocco. Since its inaugural edition in 2015, the show returns biennially, with the 2019 edition predicted to be the biggest yet.

“ONDA is pleased to support the MEBAA Show Morocco as it promotes and supports business aviation,” he says. “The show aligns with our development programmes to encourage growth in business aviation. As the only dedicated business aviation event in north Africa, it provides a valuable resource as well as an unrivalled platform for business.”

The JSSI Business Aviation Index found that flight hour activity in Africa increased 19.8 per cent year-on-year from Q2 2017 to Q2 2018. With exhibitors including the industry's key players, OEMs and operators expected to attend the MEBAA Show Morocco from around the world, the north African region will be given an insight into a global industry as well as its specific regional opportunities.