Morocco reopened its air borders for fully vaccinated tourists on February 7.

Travelers need to present a vaccine certificate and negative PCR COVID-19 test result to be permitted entry.

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Morocco Opening Tourism – Latest Updates

February 10 – Morocco reopened for fully vaccinated travelers under strict entry and exit restrictions

Morocco reopened its air borders for fully vaccinated travelers on Feb. 7, under strict COVID-19 measures. 

All arrivals, who must carry a vaccination pass issued by the Moroccan government, will be also subject to an antigen test upon arrival and “random” PCR tests.

Once in the country, proof of vaccination is needed to access hotels, restaurants, cafes, and public transportation.

Those leaving the territory must present a negative PCR test before boarding in addition to their vaccination pass. 

Who can enter Morocco now?

All inbound flights have been canceled until Feb. 7.

(Source)

Is Morocco open for Americans?

Morocco has closed to all countries and all nationalities until further notice.

Is it safe to visit Morocco during COVID-19?

The CDC ranks Morocco at level is 1, – low risk of COVID-19 transmission.-

What is the current COVID-19 situation in Morocco?

As of February 7, Morocco has reported 1,151,081 positive COVID cases and 15,698 confirmed deaths caused by the virus.

Police regulate travel between cities to prevent violations of the orders prohibiting travel. Travel between cities in Morocco depends on the cities possessing similar COVID infection profiles.

Entry rules and restrictions 

All visitors must,

Morocco mandates wearing a mask in all public places. They strongly encourage social distancing, hygiene, and disinfecting.

The government provides guides on disinfecting homes and hotels. In an address to the nation on August 20, 2020, the King of Morocco declared mask-wearing and hygiene patriotic duties.

He implored Moroccans to take the pandemic seriously and take all measures to protect themselves and others.

He invoked the Moroccan “values of sacrifice, solidarity, and loyalty” as a guide to help the country control the spread of COVID.

In the same speech, the King also stated that if case counts do not begin to decrease, increased restrictions may be implemented, including a possible return to a complete shutdown.

Morocco’s Covid-19 Scientific Committee bears the responsibility for making recommendations on appropriate restrictions to combat COVID.

Tourism in Morocco

Located on the northwestern tip of Africa and separated from Spain only by the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco offers many adventures for tourists. The rich culture, Mediterranean beaches, and the Sahara Desert offer temptations for anyone.

Marrakech draws the attention of international visitors more than any other Moroccan city. Its famous Souks dazzle shoppers and browsers. A haggler’s paradise, the Souks are large enough to get lost in.

Marrakech also features the stunning gardens at the Jardin Majorelle. After the Souks’ haggling and busy crush, the Jardin Majorelle offers a quiet place to relax. Here, visitors can experience some of the beauty that Morocco offers.

The Al Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca rates as a must-see for many tourists. A shining example of Moroccan architecture, it is the seventh-largest mosque in existence.

It is the only mosque in Casablanca open to non-Muslims. It can host approximately 105,000 worshipers.

From Agadir, travelers can enjoy the Atlantic Ocean beaches or take tours of the Sahara Desert, with some tours offering a night in tents.

Some tours even combine trips to the beach with trips to the desert, giving visitors a taste of both environments during one excursion.

Morocco also offers a vibrant culinary scene. Stuffed camel spleen and sheep’s brain top the list of exotic foods that some westerners may not try.

Vendors also offer camel burgers, sand-baked bread, and fantastic lamb dishes cooked in a variety of spices.

Morocco reopening: Updates Archives

January 31 – Morocco to reopen land and air borders on Feb. 7

Morocco will reopen its land and air borders for all international tourists on Feb. 7, according to the Moroccan state news agency (MAP).

Authorities provided no details on what the requirements would be for visitors in terms of vaccination certificates, booster shots or COVID-19 tests. 

However, according to the UK Foreign Office’s travel advice for Morocco, travelers will need to provide a vaccine certificate as well as a negative PCR test result “when flights resume.”

Read our full post: Morocco Plans To Reopen for Tourism Again on February 7

January 17 – Morocco to keep its borders close until the end of January

Morocco closed its borders to all countries in late November 2021 following the discovery of the new Omicron variant. 

The country was set to reopen in late December, but the government decided to keep it closed until January-end.

Tayeb Hamdi, a Moroccan doctor and specialist in health policy and systems, has said borders should be reopened “under special conditions.”

Hamdi went on to say that it would be “desirable to consider reopening the borders in compliance with the conditions set by Moroccan authorities,” praising the country’s “successful, proactive, and anticipatory” strategy to handle COVID-19.

Morocco’s reopening date is yet to be announced.

December 15 – Morocco has extended its ban on all international flights until Dec. 31

Morocco is one of the three countries in the world that decided to impose a full ban on all international flights as soon as the new highly-contagious variant was announced on Nov. 26.

The ban was supposed to end on Dec. 14 but the lack of solid information about the potential threats to the country has forced the government to extend the ban through Dec. 31.

Morocco has vaccinated more than 70 percent of its population, the highest vaccination rate in Africa. Also, the booster program has already started.  

November 30 – Morocco has closed its borders to ALL inbound flights from Nov. 29

Morocco closed its borders to all international flights for at least 14 days due to concerns related to the omicron strain, announced the Foreign Ministry.

The decision has been made to “preserve the achievements realized by Morocco in the fight against the pandemic, and to protect the health of citizens,” The Ministry tweeted on Sunday.

Morocco has only managed to vaccinate 42.7% of its population. It’s no surprise it has imposed the strictest lockdown measure worldwide.

November 23 – Morocco updates its entry restrictions for travelers from the A and B lists 

Passengers visiting from A-listed countries now need to present a vaccine certificate issued more than 14 days before their arrival in Morocco. 

Visitors must also provide two phone numbers where they can easily be located during the 10 days of touching down in the country.

Passengers coming from B-listed countries will also have to present a vaccinate certificate in addition to a negative PCR test result taken within 48 hours prior to arrival.  On Nov. 9, authorities decided to cancel all flights from Morocco to Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands until further notice.

November 9 – Morocco facing protests against COVID passport

Moroccan authorities introduced a “Covid-19 health pass” a few weeks ago, which allows people to enter all indoor areas, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, stores, gyms, and hammams. 

Since Sunday police officers have had to contain demonstrations across the country.

Protestors argue that the health pass was introduced arbitrarily, and they refuse to get vaccinated due to health concerns.

As of today, authorities have shown no evidence of intending to reverse the policy.

October 26 – Morocco’s tourism skyrocketed by 223.3% in September, announced the (DEPF)

Tourism revenues increased by 223.3 percent in the third quarter of 2021, according to Morocco’s Department of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF).

Morocco’s remarkable recovery can be attributed to the reopening of national borders in mid-June, as part of Operation Marhaba, which resulted in a significant increase in the number of tourists viewing Morocco as a potential gateway.

Travelers from countries on List B who are unvaccinated or just partially vaccinated must still undergo a 10-day quarantine upon arrival at a government-approved hotel.

September 25 – Morocco is not easing its Covid-19 restrictions, government confirms. 

“Fake news.” That was what the Ministry of Health replied when asked about the ease on Covid-19 restrictions it was supposed to be planning.   

“While the Ministry of Health warns citizens not to follow and spread these malicious rumors, it confirms that the decisions that are taken are announced and published through its official channels of communication, as well as the public media,” the ministry said in a statement last week.

The ministry also announced legal actions against those who share this fake news. 

Source: Morocco World News

September 7 – Morocco starts vaccinating children as the CDC moved up the country to “very high” Covid-19 travel risk list

Morocco has renewed its efforts to fight the pandemic by expanding its successful vaccination campaign to children aged 12 to 17.

This is a big step for Morocco in its bid to reopen schools. The vaccine is not mandatory and parents have the right to decide if their children should get vaccinated.

The CDC has moved Morocco to its “very high” Covid-19 travel risk list. Countries such as Canada and others have banned travelers from this destination until at least Sept. 30.

Source: African News

Morocco extended its nationwide state of emergency through September 10 but has waived interstate travel and night curfew restrictions for all fully vaccinated people. 

Authorities have restricted travel to and from the cities of Agadir, Casablanca, and Marrakesh.

Also, the country expanded the existing nightly curfew by two more hours. As of today, it is in force from 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) to 5:00 am, according to a government statement. 

Land border crossings to Morocco remain closed for tourism but land borders with Senegal and Mali have reopened.

Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt top the vaccination drive in Africa amidst a vaccine shortage. 

Citizens only need to scan their QR codes at the new smart vaccination center in Errhma to get vaccinated.

“The main innovation here (…) is a complex information system integrated into the vaccination centre itself, using PCs, tablets, QR code scanning at the entrance and exit,” said Mohamed Loughzel, an officer at the vaccination center.

According to Africa’s CDC head, less than 3 percent of the continent’s population is fully vaccinated so far. 

Source: Aljazeera

July 28 – Morocco’s Tourism Revenues went down by 62.7% despite of dropping quarantine for vaccinated travelers

The Moroccan Department of Studies and Financial Forecasts (DEPF) has announced that tourism revenue dropped by 62.7% in the first 5 months of 2021.

According to the (DEPF), the worst month has been March when less than 30% percent of the expected tourists arrived.

The third wave of the pandemic is also not helping. Morocco has registered over 4,000 cases per day recently. Consequently, authorities banned mass gatherings, weddings and restricted restaurant and bar’s capacity.

The country has recently dropped quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers who can produce a certificate showing they received their last dose at least 2 weeks before travel.

Authorities expect this measure helps them to boost tourism by the end of 2021.

Source: Morocco World News 

July 12 – Morocco to require travelers from Spain, Portugal and France to undergo 10-day quarantine again from July 13 

The new spread of COVID-19, fueled by its new Delta variant has forced Morocco to prioritize public health over the economy. 

Effective July 13, once again visitors from Spain, Portugal and France will have to quarantine at a government-designated facility per 10 days at their own expense. 

Besides, these travelers will need to obtain a “special authorization” and submit a negative COVID-19 test taken no longer than 48 hours prior to arrival.

A few days ago, the Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb warned about a possible new national lockdown due to the spike in infections. 

“Taking into account the evolution of the epidemiological situation over the last two days, we have been able to observe an accelerated increase in cases of contamination compared to the trend observed during the last months,” he said.  

Source: Spanish News Today

June 26 – Morocco reopened to multiple countries without testing restrictions from June 15

After a 15-month closure, Morocco is welcoming back fully vaccinated visitors from the US, Canada, and the U.K without testing restrictions, only a vaccination certificate is required.

Morocco has also added 100 more countries to its A-List (Green list). Travelers from this list who have not received two courses of a COVID-19 vaccine need to submit proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before arrival. (Source).

On the other side, Moroccans are experiencing travel barriers due to the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. 

Despite leading one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, the EU has recommended treating vaccinated Moroccans as unvaccinated people. The government has widely used the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine which has not been approved by the economic bloc. 

June 10 – Morocco is set to reopen for tourism to multiple countries on June 15

Effective June 15, Morocco will reopen its airports and ports to international visitors from the U.K., all European Union countries (except Lithuania), U.S., Canada, Russia, China and any UN member country that is not on Morocco’s list B.

Nationals and visitors will need to submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no older than 48 hours before the date of entry or a vaccine certificate. 

Travelers from countries that do not provide public reliable data will also need to ask for a special permit to enter the country, said the government in a statement.

(Source)

The post Morocco Reopened For Vaccinated Tourists Under Strict Entry and Exit Restrictions appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

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By: Viktor Vincej
Title: Morocco Reopened For Vaccinated Tourists Under Strict Entry and Exit Restrictions
Sourced From: www.travelinglifestyle.net/morocco-reopening-sept-10th-might-be-delayed-says-government/
Published Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2022 22:46:00 +0000

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