Morocco banned all international flights and their ferry services last year, in November, due to the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant.
It reopened its border once again on February 7, on Monday, after the two-month ban on passenger flights entering the Kingdom due to the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, it is expected to save tourist season that has been ruined by the health crisis.
However, taking an entry into the Kingdom is not at all easy. People who are planning to come to Morocco need to go with notable exemptions, delivering a decisive blow to the tourism industry.
The restart of air links on February 7, Monday- eclipse by the tragic death of five-year-old Rayan, who lost his life after falling into a well in the country’s north.
Travellers arriving in Morocco are required to show their vaccination pass as well as their negative PCR test, which is not older than 48 hours before boarding the plane.
Furthermore, at the time of their arrival, they have to pass the rapid antigenic tests, and ‘random’ PCR tests will also be taken out on groups of passengers, as per the statement released by the government.
Tourists could be subjected to “a supplementary test at their hotel or the place where they are planning to stay 48 hours after entering the region.”
Passengers who came positive after the whole procedure have to go for self-isolation. However, the government did not mention whether full vaccination status includes a third COVID jab also.
But as per the government committee in charge of pandemic-related recommendations, the travellers who had their second shot more than four months earlier their flight scheduled flight would have to present proof of their booster shot.
Last year, November, the decision to present the travel ban left many Moroccan and foreign residents stranded abroad. However, a few flights from Turkey, Portugal, and the UAE brought some of them home.
Moreover, the country was badly hit due to their ban on the tourism sector, with an unusual drop of 71 percent in tourist arrivals in last year compared to 2019.
Less than twenty million travellers visited Kingdom, meaning a drop in foreign currency revenue of 80 million euros.
