A deal that was struck on Friday in Salé, close to Rabat, between the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) and the Israeli Arkia Airline Company would see direct flights between Tel-Aviv and Essaouira beginning in September.

There will be 11,000 seats available on Arkia Airlines’ new direct flight.

In his remarks on the agreement, ONMT Chief Adel El Fakir emphasized the significance of the new Israeli direct flights for Moroccan incoming tourism, noting that the new route was opened to satisfy rising Israeli market demand.

Gad Tepper, the director of Arkia, expressed his optimism on the relevance and financial benefits of the new airline service that will allow thousands of Israelis to visit Essaouira to take advantage of its well-known historical sites.

Nearly 75,000 Israeli visitors traveled to Morocco in 2022, an increase of 87% from 2019. About 39,000 Israeli tourists traveled to the North African Kingdom at the end of June 2023, a 35% rise from the same time in 2022.

Israeli visitors increased their arrivals by 146% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Moroccan Tourism Observatory.

Visits and contacts between Moroccan and Israeli officials increased following the normalization of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv in 2020 as a result of the Abraham Accords, which were mediated by the United States. This led to the signing of a number of cooperation agreements in the fields of tourism, trade, industry, defense, cybersecurity, technology, scientific research, culture, agriculture, water, healthcare, and security.

Read also: Lior Haiat to Hespress: Israel is determined to improve relations with Morocco

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The Hanover-Based travel and tourism company has signed in Berlin an agreement described as “Record” with the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT).

This agreement covers the next 5 years, namely from the summer season 2023 to the winter season 2027-2028, in other words 10 seasons. It will allow, over this period, to double tourist arrivals to Morocco, with a growth rate of about 220%, underlines the ONMT in a press release. Today, it is specified, TUI records approximately 210.000 annual customers in Morocco. Thanks to this partnership, the volume will approach half a million customers.

Market by market, this partnership will make it possible to double the tourist arrivals from France, to triple the tourist arrivals from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Belgium, and to quadruple the tourist arrivals from the Dutch market.

For Adel El Fakir, Director General of the Office, this agreement represents an important moment for the ONMT and for Moroccan tourism. “TUI is undoubtedly a leading operator whose impact in terms of volume is significant for the sector. This agreement will thus allow an increase in their programming of Morocco and also augurs similar commitments from many other travel prescribers”, he was pleased to say.

As a reminder, TUI Group is a world leader in tourism which groups together a great diversity of activities: tour operators with strong brands, 1,600 travel agencies and online portals, nearly 400 hotels, receptive agencies throughout the world, six airlines with approximately 150 planes and 18 ships. In Morocco, the group intends to continue its dynamics with a very important investment plan in Agadir and Marrakech.

Read Also: Morocco: 35 new routes with 10 airlines for the summer of 2023

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The Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) affirmed, on Tuesday, that it is multiplying the actions with the travel prescribers and the national and international airlines in order to increase the number of seats towards Morocco. A measure which is in line with its ambition to promote the tourism sector and to capitalize on the craze for Morocco following the 2022 World Cup, the office said in a statement. Thus, for the 2023 summer season, the ONMT has encouraged the opening of no less than 35 new air routes with 10 airlines.

“Air transport is a major lever of action for the development of tourism. For the Office, it is therefore important to contribute to the setting up of these new links in order to accompany the upturn and to go up in power, by securing the connectivity of the Moroccan destinations towards the main emitting markets”, declares Adel El Fakir, DG of the ONMT, as mentioned in the press release.

Thus, 8 Moroccan destinations are concerned by this vast programme: Agadir, Essaouira, Fez, Marrakech, Nador, Ouarzazate, Rabat and Tangier. These new routes concern 9 emitting markets: Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Ten airlines will operate these new point-to-point routes (Aegean Airlines, Air Arabia Maroc, Binter Canarias, EasyJet, Eurowings Discover, Luxair, Ryanair, TUIfly Belgium, Volotea and Vueling), the same source adds. All of the ONMT’s delegations abroad have been mobilised to achieve this result.

These are 4 new openings for Agadir (linked to Strasbourg and Lisbon with Ryanair, to Frankfurt with Eurowings Discover and to Glasgow with EasyJet), 4 new openings for Essaouira (linked to Bordeaux with EasyJet, to the Canary Islands with Binter, to London with Ryanair and to Barcelona with Vueling) and 4 new openings for Fez (linked to Alicante and Palma de Mallorca with Ryanair, to Duesseldorf with Air Arabia Maroc and to Clermont-Ferrand with Ryanair).  There are also 7 new openings for Marrakech, 2 new openings for Nador and Ouarzazate, 3 new openings for Rabat and 4 new openings for Tangiers.

Read Also: Morocco: Among the top tourist destinations in 2023 (Washington Post)

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Morocco signs a remarkable participation in the 64th Brussels Holiday Fair 2023 (02-05 February), one of the key events of tourism promotion in Europe.

Through a stand of 100 m2, situated in the centre of the Brussels exhibition halls, the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT)-Benelux is highlighting the rich and singular potentialities which abound in different regions of the Kingdom.

This year, the Moroccan stand is particularly well attended by the Royal Air Maroc-Benelux, the regions of Tangier-Al Hoceima, Béni Mellal-Khénifra and Fès-Meknès, as well as several hotel chains.

Accompanied by a programme of artistic and gustatory activities, the promotion of the Kingdom’s many tourist destinations is being carried out using various tools that favour digitalization. An invitation to visit Morocco and discover the magic of its traditions and the richness of its heritage that is both authentic and up to date.

Belgium is one of the markets on which Morocco is betting, which has achieved an important recovery in tourism in 2022, recovering more than 84% of tourists compared to the figures achieved in 2019.

According to a survey published on the occasion of the Brussels Holiday Fair, Morocco is on the podium of the most popular destinations outside Europe for Belgians, alongside Turkey and the United States.

More than 350 exhibitors and 800 sub-exhibitors are taking part in this 64th edition of the show, which has been the largest national tourism show in Belgium for more than 60 years. Its organisers are expecting 150,000 visitors this year.

Read Also: ONMT honored in Madrid as “Best Emerging Sustainable Destination”

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A historic partnership agreement was signed by the Moroccan National Tourist Office and the easyJet group, owners and operators of the airline easyJet and the travel agency easyJet Holidays, on Wednesday in London.

According to the agreement reached between Johan Lundkren, Managing Director of the easyJet group, and Adel El Fakir, Director General of the Moroccan National Tourist Office, this European giant will have a real and substantial presence in Morocco.

The National Tourist Office’s general manager, Adel El Fakir, stated: ” This is a historic agreement for Morocco. The European market, which is our primary source of tourism, is where this airline has real experience and a well-balanced presence. This will strengthen our plan to draw as many visitors to our target markets as possible, “he added

The agreement is valid from summer 2023 to the winter of 2027–2028. EasyJet will increase the number of seats it offers to Morocco over the course of these ten seasons from 800,000 to 1.6 million by 2028. The agreement covers seven markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Holland, and Portugal, where easyJet has significant air bases.

Read Also: Tourism: Important recovery for Morocco after the corona crisis

As part of this agreement, easyJet airlines has agreed with the Moroccan national tourist office to double its connectivity to destinations where travelers land, such as the cities of Marrakech, Agadir, Essaouira and Tangier, and to program new destinations such as Rabat, Fez and Ouarzazate.

EasyJet Aviation’s Johan Lundkren, the company’s managing director, stated: “Due to the increased demand from our customers, EasyJet has increased its frequency to Morocco by twofold. We have committed to continuing our collaboration with the Moroccan National Tourism Office in the years to come in order to promote Morocco as a travel destination and its exceptional tourism qualifications “.

In additiony, EasyJet Holidays is committed to expanding its clientele in Morocco starting in the summer of this year in terms of travel and vacation planning. A significant marketing campaign to highlight Morocco’s top tourist attractions and boost sales is part of the partnership with the Moroccan National Tourist Office.

“We are delighted to have signed this official cooperation agreement with the Moroccan National Tourist Office for the next five years,” said Kari Wilson, president and chief executive officer of easyJet Holidays.

The Moroccan National Tourist Board, is advancing its strategy to break into European markets and make Morocco one of the most alluring travel destinations in the world by strengthening this partnership with the easyJet group.

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In a ceremony held at the Royal Tapestry Factory Foundation in Madrid, the Spanish travel publication Viajar selected Morocco’s National Tourism Office (ONMT) the “Best Emerging Sustainable Destination” for the 2022–2023 time frame.

On its social media sites today, ONMT declared that Morocco had won the title of “Best Emerging Sustainable Destination” for 2022–2023 as compensation for its sustainability efforts.

At the networking event, which included various travel agents from Morocco and other countries, ONMT Director General Adel El Fakir accepted the honor from the Director of the Viajar magazine.

El Fakir expressed his gratitude for receiving the award, which honors the Kingdom of Morocco’s efforts in sustainable tourism, after accepting it.

“This recognition strengthens the influence of the Moroccan brand through the traits of sustainability and responsibility, which tourists from across the world are aware of,” the speaker continued.

According to Morocco’s press agency (MAP), the occasion provided a chance to advertise Morocco as a holiday destination in the worldwide market. More than 250 Iberian and Latin American tourism operators attended.

The second wave of the ONMT’s “Morocco the Land of Light” campaign was started on November 20, 2022, as part of the goals of the Moroccan Tourism Office to promote the nation’s tourism-related activities.

According to the office, the initial wave of the campaign had excellent results, reaching 60% of “foreign tourists” in the target areas.

According to ONMT, the campaign reached 74% of tourists in Spain and 80% of tourists in France, respectively, and “96% of those who recognized the campaign expressed a definite interest to visit Morocco.”

After winning “the finest international advertising campaign in Spain” and “the greatest culinary destination,” the ONMT now wins recognition for the third time in Spain with the “Best Emerging Sustainable Destination” award.

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The National Confederation of Tourism (CNT) and the presidents of the Regional Councils of Tourism, who are the main parties affected by this campaign, attended a preview presentation of the second wave of communication from the ONMT for the promotion of Morocco as a destination yesterday, Thursday, November 10, 2022, in Rabat, according to a press release from the Office.

The general manager of the ONMT, Adel El Fakir, gave a performance evaluation of the first promotional wave and highlighted the possibilities for the marketing strategy at the presentation of this advertising campaign, which targets customers from 19 different countries. territorial and national office. Thus, it was determined by the post-tests that in the target markets, 60% of foreign visitors (up to 74% and 80% in Spain and France) were exposed to this advertising campaign.

According to the Office’s press release, “These performances lead to a spectacular increase in the reputation of the destination and an improvement in its image on three strategic criteria: as a “Trendy” destination (+5 points), “Exclusive and Luxurious” (+9 points), and distinguished by its “Security” (+15 points), which has become a deciding factor for world travelers.

This Friday, November 11, 2022, the second wave of communication will begin. It will be based on a TV media strategy on the major worldwide networks, as well as in theaters and on other online platforms. According to the press release from the ONMT, this advertising campaign includes “an essential regional focus” in terms of display, insertions in the written press, and social media.

“Terre de Lumière” is a distinctive marketing initiative against our rivals that could enable Morocco to place itself among the top 10 most sought-after travel destinations in the world (…) Our goal is to develop cutting-edge, universal, and unique Brand-Destinations to convey all of Morocco’s experiences. Everyone will benefit from this strategy, which is being developed in collaboration with institutional and professional players, according to Adel El Fakir.

16 high-potential locations have been determined based on an extensive technical and semantic analysis of the assets and characteristics of the various areas in Morocco. According to the ONMT, a first series of ten brands has been developed, and six more are currently under development.

The newly developed brand identities for each location focus on, among other things, recognizing and elevating the brands that make up each one’s ADN: monuments and symbols, regional specialties, human or natural, colors and themes, pictures and graphics.

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