More than 2.74 million Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) had entered Morocco as of August 3, representing a 0.45% increase compared with the same period last year, Omar Moussa Abdellah, project manager and supervisor of Operation Marhaba at the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, said.
Speaking on the radio program Obour, broadcast Tuesday on Radio Tanger Med, Abdellah said that 2,741,570 MREs had returned to Morocco since the launch of Operation Marhaba through Monday.
He added that 287,518 vehicles had entered the country as of August 3, down 12.43% compared with the same date in 2025. He attributed the decline to the fact that many MREs opted for carpooling this year because of the rising cost of traveling by car.
Tangier Med plays a key role
Abdellah noted that the past few days had seen an acceleration in maritime arrivals, which reached 1,430,811 people as of August 3, accounting for 52.19% of all entries into Morocco.
He highlighted the key role played by Tangier Med Port, which alone welcomed 512,693 travelers, representing 35.89% of all MREs arriving by sea. It was followed by Nador Port with 200,013 travelers and Tangier Ville Port with 168,240 passengers.
Regarding air arrivals, Abdellah said Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca ranked first with 333,490 travelers, accounting for 25.44% of all MREs entering Morocco by air. It was followed by Marrakech Menara Airport (225,086), Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (167,147), and the airports of Nador and Rabat-Salé, which welcomed 119,487 and 119,452 travelers, respectively. Total air arrivals reached 1,310,759.
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Reviewing the first phase of Operation Marhaba, he stressed the continued mobilization of all stakeholders to ensure the best possible transit and travel conditions for MREs returning to visit their families and spend time in their country of origin.
For his part, Jaafar Ameyer, Director of Tangier Med Port, said the past few days had coincided with the operation’s peak travel period. On August 2 alone, the port recorded a record 31,917 passengers and 8,612 vehicles, increases of 4% and 5%, respectively, compared with August 2, 2025.
Despite the heavy traffic, he said the average time required to leave the port did not exceed 15 minutes, thanks to the efforts of Morocco’s National Police and Customs Administration.
Confirmed tickets for the return phase
Ameyer also highlighted the reinforcement of ferry services across the Strait of Gibraltar through the deployment of an additional fast ferry, as well as the implementation of ticket interchangeability between different ferry operators.
He added that the return phase of Operation Marhaba will introduce a system of confirmed tickets with fixed departure dates and times, allowing authorities to better regulate passenger flows as MREs travel back to their countries of residence.
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He therefore urged MREs to plan their journeys in advance, ensure that their return tickets include a specific departure date and time, and familiarize themselves with transit procedures to reduce waiting times at the port and help ensure smooth travel for everyone.
Tags: Morocco, Operation Marhaba, MREs, Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, Tangier Med, Travel, Ports, Tourism, Diaspora, Carpooling, Transportation, Summer Travel, Morocco News
