Morocco expects 200,000 Israel tourists next year

Morocco expects about 200,000 Israeli tourists in 2021, Tourism Minister, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, announced yesterday.

“The number of Israeli tourists visiting Morocco is expected to rise from 50,000 to 200,000 as the two countries prepare to launch direct air links next year,” Alaoui told Israel’s official Kan broadcaster, adding that Israeli tourists could be granted a visa “on arrival at the airport.”

Alaoui’s remarks come after US President Donald Trump announced the normalisation of relations between Morocco and Israel on 10 December. “Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations,” Trump said on Twitter. He described the move as a “massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East.”

Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations – a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020

Morocco’s Hespress news site earlier reported that the two countries would sign “several cooperation agreements next Tuesday.” The news website pointed out that Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, would lead an “Israeli delegation to Morocco on the first direct flight from Tel Aviv to Rabat” tomorrow.

Morocco became the fourth Arab League member to normalise relations with the occupation state of Israel since August, following in the footsteps of the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan.

READ: The strategic downfall of Morocco’s normalisation