Morocco has reopened its airspace after more than two months of closure but with, however, an accompaniment of strict restrictive measures to enter the territory. Rest assured, they are less drastic, however, than before the borders were closed at the end of November.
This relieves tourism where it has hurt for just over two months with the advent of Dame Covid’s latest, Omicron.
The a priori goal for the Moroccan Executive being in the first place to save this vital sector for the economy of the Kingdom that is tourism ravaged by the health and economic crisis by trying to preserve at least this tourist season.
As you can imagine, this reopening is accompanied by strict restrictive measures. Thus, any traveler entering the Kingdom must be vaccinated. In addition to the vaccination pass, you must present the result of a negative PCR test less than 48 hours old when boarding in the country of departure. Upon arrival in Morocco, travelers are subjected to a rapid antigen test and PCR tests “random” will be carried out on groups of passengers. Finally, for tourists, the authorities providet “the possibility of carrying out an additional test at the hotel or at the residence center 48 hours after their entry into the territory”, the statement said. However, passengers and travelers who test positive will have to isolate themselves in their place of residence.
Our compatriots MRE (Moroccans residing abroad) were numerous on this February 7, to return to their homeland. The first arrivals at Mohammed V airport in Casablanca, coming from Toulouse (France) on an Air Arabia flight, did not hide their great joy at finding their country of origin, their loved ones and their family. However, once they arrived, they had to present their health pass and a negative PCR test of less than 48 hours, and undergo an antigen test on site, in a marquee set up for the occasion, in accordance with the preventive measures in force. Ditto for many tourists who have taken the same plane to go to Morocco.
In a statement to the press, Mohamed Moussif, head doctor at Mohammed V airport, indicated that the health control at the borders has been adapted, in accordance with the legislation in force and the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Protection. social, depending on the international and national epidemiological situation, namely: that the control be carried out in two stages, the first just after the plane has landed with a control of documents minimizing the waiting time and consisting of the control of the PCR and the vaccination pass, and the second to invite passengers to go to the test area to undergo a rapid test. It goes without saying that if the test proves positive, the passenger is informed and will have to be confined. A digitized operation that saves passengers a lot of time.
He also indicated that this procedure was generalized to all the international airports of the Kingdom. posed on the track of Agadir. The passengers, most of whom are MREs, did not escape the circumstantial measures put in place by the authorities. The director of Agadir-Al Massira airport, Mohamed Bahaj, indicated that following the reopening of Moroccan airspace, efforts have been made by all airport components so that the arrival and departure of passengers take place smoothly and under excellent conditions and in accordance with the directives of the Executive. Ditto for the capital Rabat where the first commercial flights to and from the international airport of Rabat-Salé resumed on Monday. The first aircraft to take off (06:00) from this space was that of the national company Royal Air Maroc (RAM) to the airport to Marseille with 57 passengers on board. Air France, which also serves this stopover, was not left out since one of its aircraft landed in Rabat-Salé from Paris Charles de Gaulle at 10 a.m.
On arrival, Moroccan passengers did not hide the feelings of joy ” We have just returned to our dear homeland from Los Angeles after a stopover in Paris said a happy immigrant couple in the United States. For Mohamed Benhaddouch, acting director of Rabat-Salé, “ the airport has developed a program to resume airport activities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the General Directorate of National Security, the Royal Gendarmerie, Customs and local authorities » . He also indicated that this enclosure should receive between 1,500 and 2,000 passengers per day.
To revive the tourism sector, the government has planned a program of partnerships with international tour operators and airlines. An international advertising campaign is also planned to promote the “destination Morocco”. It will begin as soon as foreign tourists return. The Moroccan tourism sector has been very badly shaken by an unprecedented drop of 71% in tourist arrivals in 2021, compared to 2019. The losses, over two years, amount to 20 million fewer travelers and 90 billion dirhams (more than 8 billion euros) of income in foreign currencies.
Mounir Mehimdate Photographic Report
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