Under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, 65 exhibitors representing 10 countries participated in the second edition of the Business Aviation Show (MIPA Show Morocco 2017), dedicated to private aviation professionals and organized by the Middle East and North Africa Private and Business Aviation Association (MEBA), in partnership with the Moroccan National Airports Office and the Ministry of Tourism and Air Transport. The event concluded in Marrakech on September 13, under the slogan “Exhibition of Promising Opportunities.”
Revitalizing Business Aviation
The organizers of this exhibition aim to revitalize business aviation and enhance its growth potential, and exhibitors are optimistic that the exhibition will become a key platform for investors in the Middle East and that the event will be an important date for private aviation stakeholders across North Africa.
Prior to the exhibition’s official opening, a seminar was held under the title “Developing Business Aviation in North Africa: Morocco as a Model,” featuring international experts in fields related to business aviation. The event also featured remarks by Mohamed Sajid, Morocco’s Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts, and the Social Economy, Ali Ahmed Al-Naqbi, Chairman and CEO of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA), and Jalil Mohamed Al-Oufir, Director General of the National Airports Office in Morocco.
Confidence of Foreign Airlines
In his speech, the Moroccan Minister of Tourism and Air Transport explained that the business aviation sector in Morocco is still in its infancy, noting that the sector has seen remarkable activity, so we must prepare facilities to accommodate this type of private aviation, noting that organizing these events demonstrates foreign companies“ confidence in Morocco, in terms of its stability and values, It also demonstrates the industrial potential it unlocks by encouraging investment, especially since the aviation sector has undergone significant development, resulting in a promising aviation industry that employs a significant workforce, Furthermore, it is a promising sector linked to the region’s economic development, particularly regarding tourism, as the connection between aviation and the tourism sector serves as a powerful lever supporting its role in the country’s overall development.
Raising Awareness Among Private Aviation Operators
For his part, Ali Ahmed Al-Naqbi emphasized the importance of the exhibition, which serves as a vital tool for raising awareness among private and business aviation operators. Al-Naqbi affirmed that Morocco is a highly promising and significant market for private and business aviation, highlighting the importance of Morocco’s unique location, which drives us as a federation to elevate service standards. He noted that the focus of investment lies in infrastructure, establishing operating companies in Morocco, ground handling firms, as well as maintenance companies.
2,500 visitors and the participation of key international partners
On the same topic, Jalil Mohamed Al-Oufir emphasized the purpose of organizing the Private and Business Aviation Exhibition in Morocco, which is centered on promoting and developing the sector and working to attract key international partners, stressing that Morocco ”serves as a key bridge for private and business aviation thanks to its geostrategic location and its clear ambition to become a vital link between different continents.“ Organizers expect the second edition of this event to attract 2,500 visitors.
Local companies, such as »Air Océan Maroc,“ and American firms, including ”Afric Air,” ”Bell Helicopter,” and ”Jet Aviation,“ participated in the second edition,
In addition to the exhibition area, the show featured the latest private jets, including Gulfstream’s G550 and another model from Bombardier.
