Tourism: Operators… Get to work!

End of the PCR soap opera! The last stumbling block in tourism has finally been removed. As we announced in preview (See our edition of Mon­day, May 16 – Issue 6261-: The PCR millstone), the Government has just announced the cancellation of the condition of the screening test for the coronavirus. From now on, to enter Morocco, it is no longer mandatory to present a PCR test. On the other hand, the vaccine pass remains com­pulsory. The Government’s decision came into effect as soon as the Go­vernment press release was published on Tuesday evening May 17.

The day after the cancellation of the PCR test, tourism professionals say they are unanimously delighted. “We can only welcome the removal of the PCR. We are completely relieved”, said to L´Economiste Wissal El Ghar­baoui, Secretary General of the Natio­nal Confederation of Tourism (CNT).

There remains a small problem: “Does this decision imply the choice between the vaccine pass or the PCR test?” Or: «Does it cancel the PCR and only require the vaccine pass?». The Ministry of Health ans­wered these questions in detail, on Wednesday, May 18 at the start of the afternoon. Indeed, according to the Department of Health and Social Protection: “The health measures for the various points of entry into Morocco now require the presenta­tion of a valid vaccine pass against SARS-Cov-2, in accordance with the national vaccination protocol, or the result of a negative PCR test not ex­ceeding 72 hours’’. In addition, the ministry recalls that a valid vaccine pass means ‘‘the administration of three doses or, failing that, two doses, the administration time of the second dose does not exceed four months, with the exception of the Johnson vaccine & Johnson, where a single dose is equivalent to 2 doses of the other vaccines”.

As for children under 12, they are exempt from all access conditions, but, beware, vigilance will have to remain in order. The relaxation of the conditions of access to the country implies even more vigilance in the sense of continuing to take precau­tions, monitoring the health situation, and monitoring the evolution of the pandemic on a global scale.

One thing is certain, the stakes of the decision to abolish the obligation of the PCR test are multiple and cross­cutting ones for the entire ecosys­tem of the tourism industry. The first impacts will be reflected in terms of stimulation of travel and more appe­tite for Morocco as a destination both among Moroccans residing abroad and foreign tourists.

Today, the main challenge is to regain market share both among nationals of the diaspora and among foreign tou­rists from the main source markets. It would be naive to believe that the removal of the PCR test will neces­sarily result in systematic flows of tourists. To achieve this, “the opera­tors and the public authorities being called upon to work together on the factors of competitiveness, the qua­lity/price ratio, the end-to-end cus­tomer experience, brand awareness, the reputation… It is fundamental, it is about the construction of the reco­very of the industry”, said the SG of the CNT.

Amin RBOUB