Morocco, the "Land of a Thousand and One Nights," with its expansive skies, is attracting tourists back.

INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN “MOROCCO DESTINATION”

To further boost the country's tourism strengths, the Moroccan government has launched an emergency plan worth 2 billion Dirhams (approximately $220 million) to maintain jobs for tourism workers and support travel agencies.

An international promotional campaign for “Morocco as a Destination” is also planned to be launched as soon as international tourist flows return. Previously, in its Vision 2020 plan, the Moroccan government also set a target of doubling the number of foreign tourists to 20 million per year.

However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted the tourism sector, after Morocco imposed a nationwide lockdown from March 2020. Morocco then gradually reopened, but in November 2021 had to close its airspace again due to the emergence of the new Omicron variant. This closure resulted in a significant decrease in the number of tourists visiting Morocco in 2021, down to approximately 7.25 million people.

The airspace closure left many Moroccans and foreigners stranded abroad, after some of the earliest flights from Türkiye, Portugal, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) managed to bring some passengers back to Morocco.

Currently, despite announcing the reopening of its airspace from February 7th, the Moroccan government still applies regulations to ensure the safety of both Moroccan citizens and tourists, such as: passengers arriving in Morocco must present a vaccination card and a negative PCR test result taken no more than 48 hours before the flight; they are also still required to take a rapid test or a PCR test (conducted randomly).

On the other hand, Moroccan authorities also advised that 48 hours after arrival, passengers may still need to take additional tests at their hotel or residence, and anyone who tests positive will have to self-isolate. Mask-wearing regulations remain in effect in public areas.

MOROCCO REOPENS USING A “RISK-BASED APPROACH”

As one of the first passengers to return to Morocco on February 7th, Zina Bencheikh, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Managing Director of Intrepid Travel, praised the Moroccan government's "risk-based approach" in deciding to reopen. She also shared her joy at returning to Morocco to kick off 2022 with the immediate goal of welcoming tourists from the UK market.

Dubbed the "Land of Fairytales" or "Land of One Thousand and One Nights" for its magical, fairytale-like beauty, the Kingdom of Morocco in northwestern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean and Atlantic Oceans, has many advantages for developing a tourism industry that attracts visitors because it "can offer many unique experiences packed into one trip: from snow-capped high mountains to the enchanting landscapes of the desert sand resources…".

Moroccan cuisine is considered the best among Eastern cuisines, with its exquisite combination of vegetables and fruits, uniquely aromatic spices, and very fresh meats and fish. Tea is considered the highlight of Moroccan beverages. The most popular tea among Moroccans is strong, sweet mint tea, which not only quenches thirst but also hydrates the body, helping people "recharge their energy" each morning.

Visitors to Morocco are advised to take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy mint tea, especially when invited by residents of the "last nomadic communities in Morocco" living in the desert, such as the Berber and Saharawi tribes, to participate in tea ceremonies during gatherings.

In particular, the Saharawi people have a famous saying describing the mint tea they often drink three cups in a row, considering it a spiritual symbol: "The first cup is bitter like life, the second is sweet like love, the third is gentle like death."

Thanh Nguyen