Hotelier Middle East
You must be vaccinated or present a negative PCR test to be allowed in by HME Staff
The North African country of Morocco will soon swing open its borders for international visitors again, ending a long period of closure brought on by the pandemic.
Effective from June 15, both citizens and foreign nationals will be allowed to enter, provided they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 or are able to present a negative PCR test. The reopening, it is hoped, will revive the struggling tourism sector, explained the country’s tourism ministry.
The ministry went on to explain that those from countries with Covid-19 surges, or countries with a ‘lack of reliable data,’ will need to provide a special permit and have a negative PCR test on hand. The ministry did not say which countries fall into this camp.
Tourism minister Nadia Fettah Alaoui revealed last month that the country welcomed 430,000 arrivals last month, down 78 percent YOY, with revenues also falling US$530 million, equal to 69 percent.
Air traffic in all Moroccan airports recorded during Q1 20121 a 70.16 percent drop compared to 2020 and a 73.9 percent decline.
Mandarin Oriental Marrakech GM Marcel Thoma has previously shared his belief that a lot of people have misconceptions when it comes to Morocco, and urged more people to come together its vibrant hospitality sector.
He explained: “I think Marrakech could do more things like Dubai, Turkey and the Maldives. We’re nowhere near these places in terms of recognition. We depend on word of mouth and on travellers seeing with their eyes that things are going ahead as normal.”
You can read our interview with Thoma here.
