MOROCCO – Morocco’s Tourism Office (ONMT) has announced the launch of the first direct flight from New York-USA and Reykjavik-Iceland to Marrakech in Morocco.

The launch is part of the tourism office’s “Light in action” strategy, which seeks to boost the country’s tourism sector.

ONMT said the flight was the first American-owned airline’s direct flight from the US to Morocco.

The air route is part of this year’s agreement between ONMT and United Airlines.

The aircraft touched down safely on the tarmac of Marrakech-Menara Airport this morning,” a statement from ONMT read, noting that the flight also represents the inaugural point-to-point service provided by an American airline to Morocco and North Africa.

The new route will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

The inaugural flight featured a delegation from the airline, including Patrick Quayle, its senior vice president of the Global Network and Alliances.

Upon landing, the arriving delegation was greeted by high-ranking officials from the Moroccan Tourism Office and a team of Moroccan tourism operators headed by HAamid Bentahar, Chairman of the National Tourism Confederation.

A fam trip was scheduled for 35 American travel consultants to visit Morocco. In addition to the United Airlines delegation, the flight included 35 travel consultants from the two largest American groups specializing in luxury tourism,” ONMT said.

ONMT said the delegation represents over  32,000 travel agents. It noted that the tourism office entered into partnership agreements with two major networks last June to strengthen Morocco’s position as an attractive destination for the American market.

The delegation will visit several Moroccan cities, including Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Essaouira, and Agafay.

The Moroccan National Tourism Office has also inaugurated a direct flight operated by Play Airlines between Reykjavik, Iceland, and Marrakech, Morocco. 

This new route, which started on 17 October, significantly expands Morocco’s global connectivity.

By leveraging Reykjavik’s strategic position, the flight strengthens Morocco’s links with Scandinavian and North American markets. This move aligns with MNTO’s strategy to diversify its tourism market and improve accessibility.

The initiative is part of a broader push to boost Morocco’s appeal as a premier global tourism destination. For the winter 2024 season, air capacity from Scandinavia has doubled, thanks to MNTO’s partnerships with major Northern European airlines.

Earlier this year, MNTO launched the Light Tour, engaging over 150 Scandinavian travel operators to promote Morocco. This campaign significantly raised the country’s profile in the region.

The new Reykjavik-Marrakech route is expected to attract a wider range of visitors, further cementing Morocco’s position in the global tourism landscape. It represents a key milestone in MNTO’s ongoing efforts to enhance its international connectivity and appeal.

Morocco seeks to attract 15 million tourists this year against the 14.5 million arrivals recorded last year.

A key contributor to Morocco’s economy, the sector enabled the country to make a turnover of US$10.5 billion last year.

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