Morocco’s Tourism Office (ONMT) has announced the launch of the first direct flight from New York to Marrakech.
The launch is part of the tourism office’s “Light in action” strategy seeking to boost the country’s tourism sector.
ONMT said the flight is the first American owned airline’s direct flight from the US to Morocco.
The new route will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
“The aircraft touched down safely on the tarmac of Marrakech-Menara Airport this morning,” a statement from ONMT reads, noting that the flight is also representing the inaugural point-to-point service provided by an American airline to Morocco and North Africa.
The air route is part of an agreement this year between ONMT and United Airlines.
A delegation from the airline, including its senior vice president of the Global Network and Alliances, Patrick Quayle, was onboard the inaugural flight.
Upon landing, the arriving delegation was greeted by high-ranking officials from the Moroccan Tourism Office and a team of Moroccan tourism operators headed by HAamid Bentahar, Chairman of the National Tourism Confederation.
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“A fam trip was scheduled for 35 American travel consultants to visit Morocco. In addition to the United Airlines delegation, the flight included 35 travel consultants from the two largest American groups specializing in luxury tourism,” ONMT said in a statement.
The delegation represents over 32,000 travel agents, ONMT said, noting that the tourism office entered into partnership agreements with two major networks last year in June to strengthen Morocco’s position as an attractive destination for the American market.
The delegation will visit several Moroccan cities, including Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Essaouira, and Agafay.
Morocco seeks to attract 15 million tourists this year against the 14.5 million arrivals recorded last year.
A key contributor to Morocco’s economy, the sector enabled the country to make a turnover of $10.5 billion last year.
