Since last week, travelers entering Morocco no longer need to present their health card. Indeed, “it is no longer required to access the national territory,” announced the country’s airport authority in four languages: Arabic, English, Spanish and French.
The Tourism Authority reported good news on international air traffic in Morocco’s airports in January. Morocco’s airports received 1,981,294 passengers, which was an increase of 6% compared to 2019 (base year). International air traffic in January 2023 increased by 8% (1,779,954 passengers) compared to January 2019.
Air traffic with Europe, which accounts for 83% of international air, increased by 13%, while air traffic with North America increased by 32% compared to January 2019. As for air traffic with Africa, the Middle and Far East and the Maghreb countries, significant recovery rates were recorded, estimated at 98%, 94% and 56% respectively. For its part, domestic air traffic recorded 201,340 passengers in January 2023, with an estimated recovery rate of 91%, compared to the same period in 2019.
Morocco tourism authority indicated significant rates of change compared to the reference year, January 2019 in this case, in the airport structures of the Kingdom. The airport of Fez-Saiss is the airport to have experienced the least traffic in this month with all the same an increase of passengers of 8%. Marrakech Menara for its part has experienced an increase of 13% while that of Agadir Al Massira has seen the passenger flow to 16% and Essaouira to 19%.
The airports of Tangier Ibn Battouta and Oujda les Angads recorded a greater influx with 40% and 41% respectively. The airports of Zagora (93%), Casablanca-Nouaceur Mohammed V (92%), Al-Hoceima (90%), Dakhla (88%) and Tetouan (85%) achieved the highest figures. The airports of Ouarzazate (71%) and Errachidia (58%) also performed well. All good for the air, and with that, excellent omens for tourism that already outgrew the levels of 2019.
Zoubir Bouhout, tourism expert and president of the Provincial Council of Tourism of Ouarzazate said in a statement that the cancellation of the health card is “an administrative measure that should help the influx of tourists,” stressing that any measure related to travel conditions encourages potential tourists to visit Morocco. With this restriction lifted, the Kingdom will present itself as a preferred destination, especially because of strong competition with some countries that restrict freedom of travel.
