The scene at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport feels familiar to travelers—until a plane painted in Morocco’s red and green colors captures attention. It carries more than passengers: it builds an aerial bridge between Africa and South America, opening new horizons for economic and tourism cooperation between the two continents.
Only ten months after the direct route between Casablanca and São Paulo was resumed, Royal Air Maroc (RAM) has achieved encouraging results, transporting more than 50,000 passengers with an occupancy rate exceeding 80 percent.
Starting in December, the airline plans to increase flights from three to four per week, with the goal of reaching six weekly flights in the medium term. By 2037, RAM aims to expand its network toward Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Lima, reinforcing its ambition to become a global player in air transport.
Royal Air Maroc plans to expand its fleet to over 200 aircraft, serving 143 destinations with a capacity of nearly 39 million seats per year, and achieving a projected turnover of 94 billion dirhams.
Its membership in the Oneworld Alliance and code-sharing agreements—particularly with Brazil’s GOL Airlines—allow seamless connections between Casablanca and dozens of Brazilian cities on a single ticket.
This connection is more than a flight path—it’s a strategic hub where economy, tourism, and diplomacy intersect.
According to Marcelo Freixo, president of Embratur (the Brazilian Agency for International Tourism Promotion), “the connection with Morocco marks a decisive step toward building new business opportunities and attracting African visitors to Brazil.”
This month, a delegation of 12 Moroccan journalists is visiting São Paulo as part of an international tourism acceleration program organized by Embratur, in partnership with Royal Air Maroc and Guarulhos Airport. The initiative offers an immersive experience showcasing Brazil’s diversity through meetings with key tourism and aviation actors.
For Othman Baba, RAM’s regional director for South America, Morocco is a strategic platform for Brazilians traveling to Europe, Africa, and Asia, while Brazil represents for Moroccans a vibrant and welcoming destination full of opportunities. He confirmed that flight occupancy exceeds 80 percent, with strong prospects for future growth.
Guarulhos Airport handles over 45 million passengers annually, including 16 million on international flights, reflecting São Paulo’s economic strength, which accounts for 27 percent of Brazil’s GDP.
With a population exceeding 214 million, Brazil represents a massive outbound tourism market, spending about $16 billion annually on international travel, with around 12.8 million trips per year—mostly to Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America.
The Brazilian economy is experiencing a robust recovery, with a GDP of $2.18 trillion, expected growth of 2.4 percent in 2025, inflation below 5 percent, and unemployment around 6 percent.
Between January and September 2025, Brazil welcomed over 7 million international visitors, a record 45 percent increase, driven by a 30 percent rise in international passenger traffic and a 17 percent increase in seat capacity.
Tourism campaigns such as “Feel Brasil” and the “Brasis 2025–2027” international strategy aim to promote what Embratur calls “brasilidade”—the Brazilian spirit that blends human warmth and cultural diversity. The country presents itself as a mosaic of experiences, far beyond stereotypes of Carnival or the Amazon, offering serene luxury, Afro-Brazilian heritage, beaches, natural escapes, and digital nomad havens.
The return of major aircraft to southern routes and the opening of new northern and northeastern connections using 737 MAX jets will offer Royal Air Maroc further growth opportunities, strengthening its transcontinental air bridge.
The Casablanca–São Paulo route has become far more than an air corridor—it is now a bridge of development, diplomacy, and influence, linking two nations that believe in their shared potential.
Together, they look ahead to major global events such as COP30 (to be hosted by Brazil in Belém) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
