Travel Pulse
DESTINATION & TOURISM LAURIE BARATTI
Royal Maroc Airlines, Morocco’s largest airline, tweeted this week that it will become welcoming travelers from 67 visa-exempt countries, according to Travel + Leisure. Citizens of those countries cleared to travel to Morocco without a visa will be allowed entry, provided that they have an express invitation from a Morocco company or a confirmed hotel reservation.
U.S. visitors are permitted stays of up to 90 days in Morocco without the need for a visa. Citizens or permanent residents of the U.K., Australia and various European nations enjoy the similar access to the country.
The Moroccan General Federation of Enterprises’ (CGEM) president, Chakib Alj, went public with the announcement after Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved the plan, though the ministry has yet to release a formal statement detailing requirements for foreign visitors.
Prior to this newly announced phase of reopening, Morocco’s flag carrier had been solely operating select routes and repatriation flights since borders reopened only to Moroccan citizens and certain foreign residents.
Royal Maroc Airlines emphasized that travelers coming into Morocco must adhere to local health and safety measures that have been implemented to curb viral spread, tweeting, “All foreign visitors must comply with the health measures issued by the Moroccan authorities, in particular the obligation to carry out the required tests for COVID-19.”
Passengers en route to Morocco aboard Royal Maroc Airlines flights are also required to wear masks throughout the course of their journey, Morocco World News reported.
As the COVID-19 crisis escalated in March, Morocco quickly and harshly slammed shut its air, land and sea borders; and many travelers from countries like France, Germany, Italy, Spain and many others found themselves stranded abroad.
Unlike most other countries, Morocco also refused to allow its own citizens to return home while borders remained shut. They were only permitted to start reentering their own country when the government began its first phase of reopening in July.
The National, Dubai’s English-language news service also reported that Emirates Airlines will also be restarting its service to Casablanca beginning September 18. Passengers planning to board any Emirates flight that transiting through Dubai are required to provide a certificate attesting to the negative result a COVID-19 PCR test.
