Strikes in European airports threaten holiday travels, Mauritius tourism

The threats of strike actions by French airlines and British customs have got many in the Mauritian tourism sector on their toes. The authorities say they are monitoring the situation closely and fear Mauritius will suffer if strikes go ahead. 

The President of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs of Mauritius (AHRIM) Désiré Elliah told Defi Media that the impact on tourist arrivals will be considerable if airlines go on strike.

“Based on current reservations, we could reach the one million tourists target set by the government. We are already at 862,560 visitors from January to November 2022. In November alone, we achieved 83% of 2019’s figures. So these are encouraging signs,” he said.

“We are in the high season and our main market is France. If there is a strike by Air France and Corsair, the country will be penalised. There is a real danger for the country,” he warned. 

However, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority said travelling with Air Mauritius could be a solution:

“All flights from Paris to Mauritius are almost full. If there are cancellations, travellers will be able to travel with Air Mauritius, which will do its best to ensure flights from/to Paris and Britain are maintained. 

Last Friday, the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) of Corsair filed a strike notice from 16 to 22 December with a possibility of extension. The pilots are demanding a pay rise and better working conditions. Since the end of October, Corsair has been operating six flights per week to Mauritius.

At Air France, unions UNAC and SNGAF have also filed a strike notice from 20 December to 2 January. In the UK, customs employees are expected to go on strike from 23 to 26 December and from 28 to 31 December.

On Thursday, Tourism Minister Steven Obeegadoo said he was hopeful that the country could welcome around 950,000 tourists this year.

Source: Defi Media