Moroccan Diaspora Travel to Spain Drops 23% as Port of Motril Sees Mixed Results

Despite the overall decline, a 50% increase in passengers was recorded on the line with Tangier and a 4.4% increase on the line with Melilla. On the other hand, the connections with Al Hoceima and Nador suffered significant declines of 50% and 79%, according to El Estrecho Digital, citing José Antonio Montilla, the sub-delegate of the government in Granada, who mentioned these figures during his recent visit to the port of Motril.

Operation Marhaba continues until September 15, and despite the drop in passenger flow noted in one month compared to the same period last year, "the situation is improving and we expect it to continue on an upward trend from now on," Montilla assured, highlighting the "fluidity" and "normality" of the system during the first month of the Transit Operation.

The official was pleased that the port of Motril was able to cope with the periods of high influx, especially the days preceding the Eid al-Adha festival, the last days of June and the first two weeks of July, praising the "good coordination" between the various actors involved in the process, both from Morocco and Spain. "Everything is going without incident," he said.

"The port of Motril offers an attractive destination due to its proximity to the Spanish capital, with four destinations covering practically the entire Mediterranean arc of Morocco and the Spanish port of Melilla," said José García Fuentes, the president of the Port Authority of Motril, who hopes for a stabilization of flows compared to 2023. Fuentes also assured that all arrangements are in place to effectively manage the flow of Moroccans living abroad.