How will hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists be received in Morocco?
Observers expect that the Kingdom will receive hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists annually, wishing to explore the cultural diversity and tourism qualifications that Morocco abounds in. In response to the needs of the Israeli market and in order to provide the best conditions to receive the tourists of this country, the tourism workers in Morocco are preparing and training tour guides who speak Hebrew and are more familiar with the Jewish culture and the history of the Jews in Morocco. The Israeli airline Israir had announced its intention to launch the first direct route between Tel Aviv and Marrakech, starting from next July 19, with an average of 5 flights per week. Many Moroccan Jews residing in Israel, whose number is estimated at more than 800,000 people, expressed their desire to spend their annual holidays in Morocco, immediately after the news of the launch of the direct air route between Morocco and Israel, without the need to pass through European airports. Moroccan Tourism Minister Nadia Fattah Al-Alawi expected Morocco to attract about 200,000 Israeli tourists annually, compared to 50,000 visitors recorded in previous years. Pave the way  In line with the plan to attract tourists from Israel, and in order to provide the best conditions for receiving new customers, a delegation from the Israeli-Moroccan Friendship Association visited the Al Haouz region, on the outskirts of Marrakesh, and studied with representatives of the Regional Tourism Council ways to achieve tourist take-off in the region. Simon Skira, the founding president of the Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association, says that this meeting comes in order to pave the way for attracting Jewish tourists, and to discuss ways to provide the requirements they need during their stay in the Al Haouz region.  In a statement to Sky News Arabia, Skira considers that among the most important requirements of the Israeli tourist is providing a diet in line with his own rituals and tastes, preparing tour guides capable of communicating in Hebrew, in addition to clarifying the process of obtaining an entry visa to the Kingdom. The speaker stresses the need to assign the task of preparing tour guides, teaching them the Hebrew language and introducing Jewish culture and Moroccan Jewish heritage, to specialized institutions capable of keeping pace with the efforts of the various stakeholders in order to attract hundreds of thousands of Israeli tourists annually. Religious tourism  It is expected that the number of Jews coming to Morocco from Israel will double, with the aim of reviving religious occasions or visiting shrines and shrines distributed in the various regions and cities of the Kingdom. The Hiloula season is considered one of the most attractive religious seasons for Moroccan Jews, whether from Israel or from various European countries, as this occasion constitutes an opportunity to visit the birthplace and the kinship with the Jews who preferred to settle in Morocco, and an opportunity also to evoke the values of tolerance and coexistence and revive the common memory. for Moroccans. Skira stresses the need to diversify the tourism offer in order to attract Jews, and not be limited to religious tourism only, stressing the importance of attracting the third generation of Moroccan Jews in Israel. He points out the importance of developing a marketing plan to attract Moroccan Jews in Israel who are thirsty for discovering the land of their ancestors, and who wish to visit the various cities of Morocco and discover its distant regions. of Jewish shrines. Tourist activation  Observers expect that the influx of tourists from the Hebrew state will contribute to reviving tourism in a number of Moroccan cities, especially Essaouira, Marrakesh, Agadir and Casablanca, after the unprecedented losses incurred by the tourism sector in the Kingdom as a result of closing borders and restricting movement to prevent the spread of the Corona virus in the country. The expert in the tourism sector, Zoubir Bouhout, points out that civil activists from the Moroccan Jews focus greatly on the rural areas in Morocco, which often represent the birthplace of their parents and grandparents, in order to contribute to moving the wheel of the economy in them, where a large number of workers work. its inhabitants in tourism. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Bouhout considers that the historical ties and the solid relations that bring together Jews of Moroccan origin in Israel with the Kingdom, in addition to the launch of the direct air route between the two countries, are factors among others that make Morocco the most attractive North African country, Whether for the Moroccan Jewish community or the Israeli tourists. The expert in the tourism sector believes that Moroccan Jews coming from Israel will play a pivotal role in introducing the Kingdoms tourism qualifications among the rest of the Jews from other countries inside Israel, which will contribute to attracting more tourists and revitalizing the countrys tourism sector.  Bouhout called for the need to work on developing a digital marketing plan to promote Moroccos tourist destination targeting the Israeli market through social media, to enhance the Moroccan presence in tourism exhibitions held in Israel, and to link bridges of communication with travel agencies and influential figures within Israeli society.