This is good news, welcomed as it should be by the tourism sector in Morocco: the country announced this week the reopening of its borders from February 7. What finally remove the uncertainty for professionals heavily affected by these two months of closure due to the spread of the Omicron variant.
Saïd Massoudi’s agency is located in Marrakech, the tourist capital of Morocco. An essential step for travelers wishing to discover the country: “ Usually, we welcome foreign tourists who arrive in Marrakech. We organize excursions for them all over the country. But the airport has been closed for two months. We closed the agency because we can no longer afford to pay the rent. »
The many restrictions that have affected the area since the start of the pandemic have left their mark. The social impact is devastating. The national federation of the hotel industry of Morocco estimates between 20% and 30% of the jobs already destroyed.
Ensure business recovery first
If the Minister of Tourism has again announced monthly aid of 2,000 dirhams (190 euros) to professionals, Saïd Massoudi fears that many will not benefit from it: “ Me, I had to contract credits to be able to get out of it. If the airport reopens, there will be work again and I can reimburse them. Not everyone received support from the government. Many people work without being declared. For them, the industry must take off again. It is the most important ! »
While welcoming a reopening deemed vital, the representative bodies of the sector are calling on the State to massively support professionals, in particular agencies, now strangled by debt so that they can devote themselves to recovery.
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