Morocco Reopens Airspace to International Travelers

Abdeljalil Bounhar/Abdeljalil Bounhar

By Africa News with AFP

The Mohamed V International Airport in Casablanca has been buzzing for the past few hours after more than two months of closure due to Covid-19.

Morocco reopened its airspace on Monday 7 February.

Despite the reopening, strict measures have been put in place to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

All travelers must be vaccinated on arrival, they are subjected to an antigenic test and "random" PCR tests carried out on groups of passengers.

For those leaving the Moroccan territory, in addition to the vaccination pass, they must present a negative PCR test before boarding.

Beyond these measures, this opening of the airspace after a long period of closure has been a real relief for passengers.

This will help the vital tourism sector, which has been severely been dented by the ongoing health crisis. The losses over two years have led to 20 million fewer travelers and a loss of more than 8 billion dollars in foreign exchange revenue.

The government's efforts to turn around the tourism sector include partnerships with international tour operators and airlines, as well as an international advertising campaign to promote Morocco.

It has also launched a $190 million emergency plan for the sector.