Marruecos espera la visita de miles de turistas israelíes
Morocco is at a time when tourism is beginning to recover. Only a week has passed since the reopening of the air borders, after they were closed months ago to prevent the rapid spread of Omicron among the population, and thousands of people have already started to travel to the country or have organised their holidays there. The Kingdom is a popular holiday destination, and citizens from a number of countries are taking advantage of this. One of them is Israel; thousands of Israelis have already announced their intention to travel to Morocco. The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) notes that between 50,000 and 80,000 Israelis visit Morocco annually.
"Morocco is preparing to receive Israeli citizens in the best conditions and in the deepest respect for Moroccan traditions of hospitality," said a tour operator interviewed by the Moroccan online newspaper Hespress.
Several Israeli airlines have announced their commitment to their citizens and have satisfied their interests. El Al Israel Airlines has already scheduled several direct flights to Morocco, which will start operating next Monday. Arkia Israel Airlines has also issued a statement announcing that, starting in April, the airline will fly twice a week to the Kingdom, with direct flights between Tel Aviv and the Moroccan city of Casablanca. It has also added that after a while, travel will double to four direct flights a week. Moreover, Israir has planned a new route map to Morocco from 28 March.
Israel's interest in Morocco has been on the rise for several years. Since the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two nations, following the signing of the Abraham Accords in the United States, where several Arab nations and the Hebrew country opened the way for dialogue, they have never been better. The Kingdom and the Hebrew nation are united by several historical and cultural ties that have developed over the centuries, with the presence of the two peoples in each of the territories, respectively. In addition, Morocco has the largest Israeli community in an Arab country, and the same is true for people of Moroccan origin within Israel, where it is estimated that around one million people are settled in the Kingdom.
Several Israeli airlines have announced their commitment to their citizens and have satisfied their interests. El Al Israel Airlines has already scheduled several direct flights to Morocco, which will start operating next Monday. Arkia Israel Airlines has also issued a statement announcing that, starting in April, the airline will fly twice a week to the Kingdom, with direct flights between Tel Aviv and the Moroccan city of Casablanca. It has also added that after a while, travel will double to four direct flights a week. Moreover, Israir has planned a new route map to Morocco from 28 March.
Israel's interest in Morocco has been on the rise for several years. Since the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the two nations, following the signing of the Abraham Accords in the United States, where several Arab nations and the Hebrew country opened the way for dialogue, they have never been better. The Kingdom and the Hebrew nation are united by several historical and cultural ties that have developed over the centuries, with the presence of the two peoples in each of the territories, respectively. In addition, Morocco has the largest Israeli community in an Arab country, and the same is true for people of Moroccan origin within Israel, where it is estimated that around one million people are settled in the Kingdom.
"The Moroccan market is very attractive to Israelis because of the presence of a large Moroccan Jewish community, a common history and a local culture linked to the Jews," the same tourism worker told Hespress.
On the other hand, Morocco has several conditions that encourage Israeli tourists to travel there. Its weather conditions at various times of the year, in addition to its natural resources, are one of the attractions that many travellers enjoy, as the Kingdom has beaches, countryside, desert and oases, among other things. In addition, there is the extensive cultural heritage, its proximity to Europe, the monuments, museums and architecture of its cities, the ksours, folklore and traditions of the Moroccan people, where their hospitality towards tourists stands out.
Moroccan cuisine is also a great attraction for Israel, and the spices used are a great attraction for Jewish buyers who visit the souks to find them and bring them to Israel. This includes the systems for travelling between the different Moroccan cities, of which the use of the TGV (high-speed trains), the good connection of motorways, etc. are highlighted.
In the summer of last year, the favourite place in Morocco for Israelis to travel was the city of Marrakech. Official data from the Regional Council of Tourism indicate that the city is very popular among travellers from that country in the summer season and their choice is due to the cultural mix of the two peoples found in the city, in addition to the fact that it has a great cultural and artistic heritage, highlighting the richness, diversity and craftsmanship of the Kingdom.