STORY: Royal Air Maroc resumes direct flights linking Casablanca, Beijing
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 21, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 22, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:13
LOCATION: Beijing
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the ceremony
2. SOUNDBITE (English): ABDELKADER EL ANSARI, Moroccan Ambassador to China
3. various of Beijing Daxing International Airport

STORYLINE:

Flight AT230, operated by Royal Air Maroc, arrived at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 11:55 a.m. on Tuesday, marking the resumption of the direct air route linking Morocco's Casablanca and Beijing.

According to staff of Royal Air Maroc, which is headquartered in Morocco, the direct route will be operated three times a week. It was originally launched in January 2020 but suspended just a few weeks later.

SOUNDBITE (English): ABDELKADER EL ANSARI, Moroccan Ambassador to China
"Today, we're happy to relaunch it again because it will contribute very steadily to the development of the relations between the two friendly countries, Morocco and China.
Tourism is an important segment of our bilateral relations. We are witnessing during the last two years very strong growth of the number of Chinese tourists going to Morocco. We hope that all the Chinese going for tourism and for business to Morocco will be able to spend a good time in my country. I am sure that this direct flight will make it much more easy for the tourists from both countries."

Flights departing from Casablanca will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 4:20 p.m. local time, arriving at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 11:55 a.m. (Beijing Time) the following day. Flights from Beijing will depart on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1:55 p.m. (Beijing Time), arriving in Casablanca at 8:10 p.m. local time the following day.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Beijing.
(XHTV)