Taouima Nador Airport

The airport was permanently closed and replaced by the new Nador El Aroui International Airport. The primary reasons for the replacement were:
1. **Infrastructural Limitations:** The Taouima site had a relatively short runway and was geographically constrained by the city of Nador to the east and the Mar Chica lagoon to the west, which prevented any significant expansion.
2. **Increased Demand:** It could not handle the larger, modern jet aircraft (like the Boeing 737s and 747s) needed to accommodate the growing passenger traffic, particularly from the large Moroccan diaspora in Europe.
3. **Urban Development:** The closure freed up prime coastal real estate for the major 'Marchica Med' urban and tourism development project.

The site of the former airport is no longer in aviation use and is unrecognizable as an airport from the ground. The land has been completely integrated into the massive 'Marchica Med' development project, a state-led initiative to create a new urban and touristic hub. The area where the airport once stood is now being redeveloped with luxury residences, hotels, commercial facilities, and a large golf course as part of the 'Cité d'Atalayoun' and other zones within the project. While faint outlines of the old runway are still visible on some satellite images, the site is an active, high-value construction and development zone.

Taouima Airport was the original commercial airport serving Nador and the wider Eastern Rif region of Morocco. Its historical significance lies in being the first major air link for the local population and, crucially, for the large diaspora community living in Europe (especially in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Spain). It primarily handled domestic flights operated by Royal Air Maroc to cities like Casablanca, as well as limited international and charter flights. Due to its short runway, operations were restricted to smaller aircraft, such as turboprops (e.g., Fokker F27) and smaller early-generation jets.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Taouima Airport. Its closure was permanent, and its function has been fully superseded by the modern and much larger Nador El Aroui International Airport. The land is undergoing irreversible redevelopment into a major urban center, making any return to aviation use logistically, economically, and politically impossible.