Arkia boosts diplomatic ties between Israel and Morocco with direct flights

Israeli airline Arkia will strengthen the growing diplomatic ties between Israel and Morocco with the launch of direct flights between Essaouira and Tel Aviv. The development follows Israel's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara, cementing a commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation. 

As Morocco World News reports, the move is expected to further boost the influx of Israeli tourists to Morocco, whose numbers have already seen a significant increase. According to statistics from the Moroccan Tourism Observatory, Israeli tourist arrivals increased by 146% during the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019. In June alone, more than 5,600 Israeli tourists visited Morocco, an increase of 96% compared to 2019. 

Morocco's popularity among Israeli travellers is evident thanks to the e-visa programme launched by Morocco last year. Among the 160,000 applications processed, Morocco issued 150,000 e-visas, and 55% of the successful applicants were Israelis. 

According to the Israeli Embassy in Morocco, more than 15,000 Israeli tourists visited Morocco during the last Easter holidays. In the whole of 2022, a total of 70,000 Israelis travelled to Morocco, and this year, the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism expects to welcome 200,000 visitors from Israel. 

The partnership agreement between the Moroccan National Office of Tourism (ONMT) and the Israeli airline further strengthens ties between the two nations. According to i24 News, since the normalisation of diplomatic relations in December 2020 through the historic Abraham Accords agreement, millions of Israelis, including those with Moroccan roots, have travelled to Morocco.    

The deepening cooperation has also seen high-level Israeli government officials visit Morocco. Data provided by Ynetnews reveals that recently, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, who is also Health Minister, held talks with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdelouafi Laftit. During the meeting, they discussed the possibility of a mutual visa agreement between Israel and Morocco. 

Strategic and security relations between the two countries have also been established, including the appointment of an Israeli military attaché, and the possibility of opening an Israeli consulate in Dakhla, Morocco, is even being considered. 

Beyond tourism, bilateral cooperation thrives in several sectors, including trade. Israel aims to increase the volume of bilateral trade with Morocco to $500 million, reflecting the growing economic engagement between the two countries. 

The partnership between Arkia and Morocco opens new avenues for Israeli tourists to explore Morocco's cultural and scenic wonders, further fostering the growth of diplomatic and economic relations between the two nations. The direct flights are expected to contribute significantly to strengthening ties and mutual cooperation in the future.