Tourism boom in the Fez Medina

Tourists from around the world pour into Fez

Global financial crisis? What crisis? Good question if you happen to be in Morocco at the moment. Despite ( or maybe because of) the economic downturn in the USA and Europe, travellers are descending on Morocco in droves. Official figures will not be available for some months, but even to a casual observer it is obvious that Morocco in general and Fez in particular are doing extremely well at the moment. Many of the tourists say they were attracted by the relatively low cost of a Moroccan holiday compared to many other destinations.

The Fez Medina cafes are crowded

Just prior to the Easter holiday weekend the level of enquiries for accommodation was a torrent rather than the usual steady stream. As one guest house owner in the Fez Medina told The View From Fez, "If I had another half a dozen properties I could fill them all."

Backpackers and tour groups enjoying the warm weather in Fez

Fes Riads, the premier service for finding riad and guest house accommodation in Fez, also has experienced a huge upswing in enquiries. According to Helen Ranger, principal of the company, "It is tragic to disappoint so many people who left it until the last moment to book. It is not only the moderately priced properties that have filled up, but also across the broad spectrum of what's on offer."

Other observers have also attributed the upswing in tourist bookings to the popularity of the Sufi Festival

Ms Ranger went on to comment, "April is very busy but there are still opportunities for accommodation in May leading up to the Sacred Music Festival. Festival time will be hectic and then thankfully there will be riads and guest houses available through June, July and August."

The moral of the story is: don't leave booking your accommodation until the last minute.

More on the festivals in Fez
Fez Festival of Sufi Culture
Sacred Music Festival

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news