The price at the pump in Morocco has increased further. The price of a liter of gasoline even exceeded the symbolic bar of 15 DH on Tuesday, depending on the location. However, despite the support measures taken by the government, the inflationary rate is picking up again. And still the fuel remains the flammable engine which pushes to the rise of the prices, in Marrakech, the tourists are surprised by the rise in the prices.
Since yesterday, Tuesday May 17, a liter of gasoline and diesel, respectively 15.47 DH and 14.60 DH are paid in Casablanca. All distributors have not yet passed on the price increase.
The price of gasoline increased on average by 1.08 DH and that of diesel by 0.28 DH. With this increase, the price of gasoline goes up to 15 DH per litre. The rise is the reason for transportation costs. However, this increase is not uniform, fuel prices are higher in different parts of the country.
The fact that prices have risen sharply in recent times is due to the increase in the price of oil as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. But also because the world economy is recovering from the coronavirus crisis and the demand for oil is increasing rapidly.
Another factor is rising energy prices. The price of gas and coal has risen sharply and oil is therefore considered a good alternative.
In Marrakech, tourists are disturbed
In Marrakech, prices are rising sharply because of inflation, but also because of traders who deliberately increase the price, according to several Internet users who expressed their anger via social networks.
Foreign tourists complain about the prices of products and services which have in many cases doubled or tripled, reports Le360.
Residents of the city are seeing prices rise faster than in the rest of the country due to the return of domestic and foreign tourists.
Transport prices, in particular, have exploded. Taxi drivers sometimes refuse to turn on the meter; the story is that the price on the meter would no longer correspond to reality due to high fuel prices. But the parking guards around the popular Jemaa El Fna square have also raised prices and are not afraid to charge amounts of 30 DH, the source reports.
Mohamed Benmansour of the National Federation of Tourist Transport in Morocco acknowledges the stories and he also points to rising fuel prices as the main reason for the price increase. According to Benmansour, government support for professional drivers would not be enough. It now remains for the public authorities, especially local ones, to provide remedies for this situation, which is more likely to weaken tourism, which is struggling to restart.