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Morocco 'breathing again' as tourists back after Covid shutdown

A henna tattoo artist draws on a tourist's arm in Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakesh

Tourists walk in the old city of Marrakesh, the city at the foot of the High Atlas mountain range
Tourists walk in the old city of Marrakesh, the city at the foot of the High Atlas mountain range

Moroccan snake-charmer Youssef watched as long-absent tourists again thronged Marrakesh's famous Jamaa El-Fna square, ending a long pause forced by the Covid pandemic.

"We're breathing again," he said.

But it was particularly hard hit by a two-year collapse in tourism that saw arrivals to the North African kingdom plummet to just a third last year from 2019.

Tourism -- which accounts for some seven percent of Morocco's economy and creates hundreds of thousands of formal and informal jobs -- was battered by Morocco's tight restrictions during the pandemic.

Cafe terraces are full and foreigners browse shops and market stalls for traditional clothing, furniture and souvenirs.

Bouazri, 35, said the coronavirus had forced him to temporarily abandon his shop and find alternative work as a security guard.

But he said he was optimistic about the future: "It has been hard, but today I'm delighted to be going back to my real job."

Morocco this week reopened land borders with the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, two years after they were shut due to Covid and a major diplomatic row.

"The recovery might be underway, but it's incomplete," said the FNIH national hotels federation's chief Lahcen Zelmat.

But revenue in the first quarter was up by 80 percent on last year, according to official figures, and the finance ministry predicts a "more favourable outlook for 2022".

"This place is magical -- I'm impressed by all the detail," said Nick, a 29-year-old Londoner visiting for the first time. "Since Covid I've been missing exploring new cultures."

"The museum was a must," said Coco, a Chinese student living in Germany. "We consider ourselves very lucky to be able to travel again, and we're really charmed."

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/morocco-breathing-again-as-tourists-back-after-covid-shutdown/news-story/3608e0af90d9e99740eb265751d954b0