More than 2.74 million Moroccans living abroad (MREs) entered Morocco between the launch of Operation Marhaba 2026 and August 3, representing a 0.45% increase compared with the same period in 2025, Omar Moussa Abdellah, project manager and Operation Marhaba supervisor at the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, said.
Speaking on the Obour program broadcast Tuesday on Radio Tanger-Med, Moussa Abdellah said a total of 2,741,570 MREs had arrived in Morocco during the period.
He added that 287,518 vehicles entered the country by August 3, down 12.43% from the same date last year. He attributed the decline to more MREs opting for carpooling this year due to the rising cost of traveling by private vehicle.
Sea crossings accounted for the majority of arrivals, with 1,430,811 MREs entering Morocco by ferry, representing 52.19% of all entries.
Tanger Med handled the largest share of maritime arrivals, welcoming 512,693 passengers, or 35.89% of all MREs arriving by sea. It was followed by the ports of Nador, with 200,013 travelers, and Tangier City, which received 168,240 passengers.
By air, Casablanca Mohammed V Airport recorded the highest number of arrivals, receiving 333,490 travelers, equivalent to 25.44% of all MREs entering Morocco by plane. Marrakech-Menara Airport followed with 225,086 passengers, ahead of Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport with 167,147, while Nador and Rabat-Salé airports welcomed 119,487 and 119,452 travelers, respectively. Overall, 1,310,759 MREs entered the Kingdom by air.
Reviewing the first phase of the operation, Moussa Abdellah highlighted the continued mobilization of all stakeholders to ensure smooth travel conditions for MREs visiting their families and spending their holidays in Morocco.
Read also : Inside Operation Marhaba: the cross-strait effort bringing Morocco’s diaspora home
For his part, Tanger Med Port Director Jaafar Ameyer said the past few days coincided with the operation’s busiest period. On August 2 alone, the port recorded a daily high of 31,917 passengers and 8,612 vehicles, up 4% and 5%, respectively, compared with the same day in 2025.
Despite the heavy traffic, the average time required to leave the port did not exceed 15 minutes, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the National Police and Customs Administration, he said.
Ameyer also noted that maritime capacity had been strengthened through the deployment of an additional fast ferry and the introduction of ticket interoperability between different ferry operators.
Looking ahead to the return phase of Operation Marhaba, he said authorities will introduce a fixed-ticket system requiring travelers to book departures with a specific date and time, a measure aimed at improving traffic management.
He urged MREs to plan their return trips in advance, ensure their ferry tickets include confirmed departure dates and times, and stay informed about transit procedures to help reduce waiting times and facilitate smoother travel for everyone.
