Morocco - a top last minute destination

Morocco's image as a tourist destination is undergoing a remarkable change. Only a few years ago it was considered a difficult location for all but the more adventurous traveler. Since the tourist authorities began working on cleaning up problems such as faux guides and petty crime, Morocco has not only become a mainstream destination, but also become the fastest growing destination for holidaymakers who buy flights at the last minute from internet sites.

The impact of cheap airfares and increased competition has also made Morocco an attractive choice. Maghreb Arabe Presse reports that during the summer of 2006, flight bookings to Marrakech leapt 295% year-on-year, maintained by the increased number of flights operating between UK and Morocco. According to the UK based Times Online airlines have been engaged in an aggressive competition because of the record number of flights, with London-Marrakesh fares dropping to as low as 38 euros ($48) return including taxes and charges.

Until July this year two airline groups enjoyed a monopoly over flights between the UK and Morocco British Airways and Royal Air Maroc, with fares averaging more than 200 euros ($252) return but as we have been reporting in the last few months - all that has changed.

According to figures from the French website lastminute.com, Morocco features twice in the top ten flights sold this summer - Marrakech is at #2 and Casablanca at #8. The other popular Moroccan destination is Tangier, which is the fifth fastest growing destination with bookings of up to 132% year-on-year. With new Ryanair flights into Fez starting in late October, the country's most famous Medina can also expect an upsurge of tourists. Ryanair, will launch flights seven weekly flights will link Oujda in northeastern Morocco with Marseille, while three will fly out of the central city of Fes.


Links are also planned between Morocco and Frankfurt and London in the autumn, with tickets for Oujda to Marseille selling for EUR 23.99 one-way. Morocco is now linked with Croatia and Serbia, into the common European aviation zone.

In May Ryanair signed a five-year agreement with the government of Morocco to develop low-cost air access and tourism to the country from Ryanair's bases throughout Europe.

The profile of tourists is also likely to change. As The View from Fez reported recently, British citizens topped the list of tourists visiting Morocco with 40% of visitors followed by Italians (+15%), Belgians (+13%), Spaniards (+11%), and Germans (+8%). (See our story - Who is visiting Morocco?)


What is puzzling about the figures is that the French numbers are not included. Yet French holidaymakers are in the country in droves amd have a history of travel to Morocco owing to its proximity to France and the absence of language barrier.

Tourist Office pushes into Europe.

The Moroccan National office of Tourism is working hard at promoting the country with major campaigns in Austria and Holland. Sept 27 to Nov 10 in Vienna will see a public exhibition to promote Morocco's tourist and cultural assets, while a Moroccan-Dutch cultural week will be organised in Amsterdam on Oct. 4-8 at the initiative of Fez's regional council of Tourism.

Entitled “The médina of Fez, a Universal Heritage”, this event will be devoted to the development of the intercultural and inter-religious dialogue.

Organised by Amsterdam's Royal KIT museum, in partnership with the district councils of both Fès and Amsterdam, this week will be an occasion to promote the Moroccan culture, especially that of Fez, in the Netherlands.

Besides a rich and varied artistic animation and workshops of Moroccan craft and culinary arts, the programme the features debates on such topics as “Islam and the West”, “Tolerance”, “Arab-Andalusian music” and “Sufi Music”.

It also includes conferences on the economic relations between Morocco and the Netherlands and women's participation in Morocco's political life.


Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news