Fez Enjoys Bumper Tourist Season - Latest Figures

According to the latest statistics from the National Observatory of Tourism, "Fez recorded a good performance with 36% increase in total nights during the first eight months of the current year, compared to 2016". Some 512,335 overnight stays were made during the first 7 months of 2017, compared to 371,590 during the same period of 2016

Officials from the Police Prefecture  have endorsed Fez as a safe destination. "Come visit Fez. The security situation is under control."

Meanwhile the tourist activity is running at full speed.  "With the removal of visas, the Chinese market is exploding," says Aziz Lebbar, hotelier and former president of the CRT (Conseil régional du tourisme).

The overnight stays during the month of July 2017 were 61,733, compared to 45,389 overnight stays during the same period of 2016, an increase of 36%. It should be noted that the number of operational rooms in Fez, at the end of last July, stood at 4,362 units, of which 1,190 are 5-star, 1,272 are 4-star and 696 are 3-star and 685 are in the guest houses.

Fez remains a safe and secure destination for visitors

For the months of September and October, hoteliers speak of a high season. The hotels are filled and the medina is bubbling with tourists. "The only downside is that the Chinese market delivers us so far customers who spend little or nothing ... they bring everything from outside, including mineral water," says Lebbar. However, according to him, "the destination should, in a few weeks, attract the richest Asian tourists."

Shop owners are upbeat about the Chinese tourists. While agreeing that they did bring most of their own supplies, they pointed out to The View From Fez that accommodation and guide services were all benefiting.

In addition the new Air Arabia base in Fez ensures connections with the main capitals of Europe. "New services are scheduled in the coming weeks," says airport manager,  Noureddine Laghni.

At the same time, the plans for improvement of the tourist product remains in place. Driss Faceh, president of the CRT, insists on the upgrading of the Place Bab Boujloud and the need to endow the city with a convention centre.

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