Israeli airline Arkia landed its first flight from David-Ben-Gurion International Airport on Thursday at Essaouira’s Mogador International Airport, marking the opening of a new air link from the windy city to Tel Aviv. The result of a memorandum of understanding signed on July 18 by the Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) and Arkia, the new route enhances the city’s air connectivity with the rest of the world and will operate once a week.
The plane, carrying over 200 passengers, including Moroccan Jewish community members, received a ceremonial water cannon salute as a mark of respect upon landing.
The head of the Moroccan Liaison Office in Israel, Abderrahim Bayoudh, the mayor of the city of Essaouira, officials from the David-Ben-Gurion airport, and representatives of stakeholders in the tourism industry participated in an inaugural ceremony welcoming the plane and its passengers.
The route will boost tourism between the two countries as Arkia, Israel’s second largest airline, makes available 11,000 seats on this new direct route.
Israeli tourism arrivals in Morocco hit around 75,000 in 2022 and are now at 39,000 according to data for Jan-June, 2023.