Rabat – Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit declared today, July 10 that public authorities have prioritized the revitalization of Morocco’s tourism sector with a set of strategic industry revival measures.
The minister’s declaration took place during a meeting about the resumption of activity with sectoral stakeholders such as hotel representatives, in which he also stressed the need to revive domestic tourism, according to Morocco’s state media.
The resumption strategy concerns domestic flights, passenger rail services, and inter-city road transport, as well as the resumption of travel between provinces of zone 1.
The resumption of tourist activity falls within the framework of the second phase of the nationwide ease of the lockdown, which Morocco launched on June 24.
Laftit stressed the importance of coordination between professionals and health authorities in order to ensure the success of the transition period and guarantee the safety of clients and personnel.
The success of this stage requires complying with health protocols such as limiting the capacity of reception in hotels to 50%, implementing social distancing, wearing face masks, and maintaining regular sterilization operations.
According to Laftit, the decision serves two purposes: To enhance domestic tourism, which has been a priority for Morocco for several years, as well as welcoming Moroccans Residing Abroad (MREs) and their families starting July 14 at midnight.
On the medical level, Laftit stressed the necessity of conducting COVID-19 screening tests in hotels before the resumption of activity, as well as reinforcing the sanitary measures put for MREs who must do a screening test within 48 hours before departing for a trip.
In order to follow the progress of the operation, commissions composed of representatives from the ministries of tourism and health and security services, have been put in place.
On the international level, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have pledged to support the tourism sector in several countries, including Morocco.
The pillars of the international support include economic recovery, marketing and promotion, as well as institutional strengthening and resilience building.
