Showing posts with label Marrakech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marrakech. Show all posts

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Aziz Kibari Solo Exhibition in Marrakech

Aziz Kibari is having a solo exhibition at the Casino of La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakesh from December 10th to 16th


If you haven't caught up with this exciting artist, then this is great opportunity to see his work. The style is idiosyncratic and his two main motifs - the donkey and the "bonhomme" - are a delight!


Aziz has worked over the years to improve and expand his techniques and media using gouache and acrylic on paper with warm colours, natural.

Aziz Kibari instantly detects the artistic potential of beldi characters straight out of his imagination and inspired by his youth on his parent's farm.


"Through my paintings, I try to recover a lost world in all its simplicity with an attachment to the land and nature's inspiration." - Aziz Kibari

More information
Aziz Kibari
Art Studio Charaf Marrakesh
Mob +212 660 636 484
azizkibari@gmail.com

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Saturday, May 19, 2018

New Flights Between Marrakech and Vienna

Air Arabia Morocco has announced the opening of a new route next winter between the cities of Marrakech and Vienna

This is the sixth line operated by Air Arabia Morocco from Marrakech to Europe, the company already serving Frankfurt, Montpellier, Pau, London and Paris.

The Marrakech-Vienna flight will be operational from 29 October 2018, with two weekly flights on Mondays and Thursdays, and will be operated by Air Arabia Maroc's fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft.

- From Marrakech to Vienna
Monday - Thursday: departure at 14:10; arriving at 19:20

- From Vienna to Marrakech
Monday - Thursday: departure at 20:10; arrival at 23:30

In April 2018, the Kingdom's airports recorded an air traffic volume of 2 million passengers, an increase of almost 10% compared to the same period in 2017. The Mohammed V airport in Casablanca produced 40% of total traffic, or 869,063 passengers, against 839,924 passengers for the same period of 2017, up 3.47%. Two other airports, Marrakech Menara and Agadir Al Massira, also continue their growth withinceases of 16% and 24% respectively.

Domestic traffic accounted for 239,908 passengers, a sustained growth of 14.7%. International traffic increased by 8.86% to 1,766,111 passengers, or 88% of overall traffic. The change is mainly due to the continued growth recorded by the Europe segment (10.37%). This is also the case for the Americas, up 10.03% for North America and 22.88% for South America. Markets in the Middle and Far East and Maghreb countries experienced growth of 4.22% and 0.87% respectively. The African segment, for its part, has posted a slight decrease of -1.84%.

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Tuesday, May 15, 2018

New Push For Enhancement of Morocco's Ancient Medinas


On Monday, His Majesty King Mohammed VI presided over a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Rabat, which unveiled the programmes for the enhancement of the old medinas of Rabat and Marrakech, Casablanca and Fez
HM King Mohammed VI presides over the Rabat meeting 

The King ordered the development of the third phase of the programme of buildings threatened by ruin. For this the old Casablanca Medina has been given a budget of 300 million dirhams.

These new generation programmes aim to promote Morocco's ancient medinas, improve the living conditions of their inhabitants, preserve their architectural heritage, tangible and intangible, and promote their wealth and cultural authenticity.

At the beginning of this ceremony, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit emphasized, in an address to His Majesty the King, that these programs, which proceed from a participative approach, support the rehabilitation projects of the old ones. medinas of Rabat, Marrakech and Fez.

The old medina of Rabat will see the restoration of ramparts, historic doors, of mosques and Zaouiyas, as well as the rehabilitation of the traditional foundouks and the provision of green spaces.

Under the program "Marrakech, city of permanent renewal" the city will see the preservation of more than 4,000 buildings, the rehabilitation of El Mellah neighbourhood, Ezrayeb and the Achouhada cemetery, as well as the development of tourist and spiritual tours of the old medina of Marrakech.

Fez, the kingdom's spiritual capital, will see the implementation of restoration programs for historic monuments and treatment of buildings threatened by ruin and a focus on the restoration of 27 historical monuments, including madrassas, foundouks, bridges, souks, tanneries, and bordjs.

These programs in Fez will benefit more than 1,600 people (craftsmen, shopkeepers, and students), allowing the restoration of more than 2,200 buildings threatening by ruin in the old medina of Fez.

According to the Minister of the Interior, the new upgrading program of the old medina of Rabat has a budget of about 325 million dirhams, with a contribution from the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development of nearly 250 million dirhams.

The upgrading program of the old medina of Marrakech will cost 484 million dirhams. The Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development will contribute 150 million dirhams. The cost in the medina of Fez is nearly 583 million dirhams, including 100 million as the contribution of the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development.

The Minister of the Interior indicated that HM King Mohammed VI ordered the development of the third phase of the program of habitats threatened by ruin as an integral part of the rehabilitation programme of the old medina of Casablanca with an overall budget of 300 million dirhams financed by the Hassan II Fund for Economic and Social Development.

The Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicraft and Social Economy, Mr. Mohamed Sajid, pointed out that these enhancement programmes are aimed at strengthening the development of the medinas, improving their tourist and cultural attractiveness, the promotion of their civilizational and human heritage, in addition to improving the incomes of artisans and the development of the social economy.

Mr. Sajid said that the program for the old medina of Fes (2018-2023) concerns the rehabilitation of 39 historic sites of economic activity (Foundouks, workshops, souks), 10 mosques and Koranic schools, and the enhancement of 11 historical sites (water clock, museum of Jewish culture) and the restoration of Dar Al Makina. It is also planned that there will be 8 new car parks and the implementation of an electronic information system to enhance the tourist experience.

The minister also said that the upgrading program of the old medina of Marrakech (2018-2022) includes the preservation of historic monuments, the strengthening of the signaling system and lighting network, the establishment of interactive tourist information, and the development of public spaces and 6 car parks, including two underground.

The upgrading program of the old medina of Rabat (2018-2021) will focus on the development of the Place Bab El Had and places close to the central market, the strengthening of the signaling system, the setting up of interactive platforms for tourist information, pavement lanes (8 km), and the creation of two underground car parks in Bab El Had and Bab Chellah, with a total capacity of 1,090 vehicles.

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Friday, May 11, 2018

The Master Musicians of Joujouka, live in Marrakech


On the 30th of June the Master Musicians Of Joujouka will give a rare live performance in Marrakech

The exclusive 4-hour concert, at Villa Janna, presented by Atlas Electronic, is being held to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of their visionary cross-cultural collaboration with Rolling Stones Founder Brian Jones.


Getting to see the group perform is difficult as the Master Musicians of Joujouka's yearly tribal trance party in Morocco is limited to just 50 guests. Performances outside their small village in the Ahl Srif mountain range in Northern Morocco are rare and so this is a great chance to experience the wild magic of the Master Musicians of Joujouka.


You can read more about them in our two part photo essay here.


The Marrakech concert is being held at Villa Janna 
Douar El Mghazli CR Al Ouidane, BP Guéliz 2691
Marrakech - Maroc
Doors open at 17h00
Performance starts at 18h00

Tickets are 395 dirhams and should be purchased on line HERE



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Friday, April 06, 2018

Marrakech to Athens Flights From October


The Irish low-cost company Ryanair has announced the launch of a line connecting Marrakech to Athens from October 29th. Ryanair will operate two flights, on Mondays and Fridays, between the two cities


The flights between Marrakech and Athens will be the only link between the two countries

The flight will be of four hours and 25 minutes , departures from the international airport of Marrakesh Menara will be at 6 o'clock in the morning, while the return of Athens are scheduled to 12 hours 50 minutes.

The new service will replace the Athens-Casablanca line launched by Air Mediterranean which has been temporarily suspended by the company.

Morocco welcomed 11.35 million tourists in 2017, an increase of 10% compared to 2016. Morocco aims to welcome nearly 20 million tourists by 2020.

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Friday, January 19, 2018

Pedestrian Crossing Law Angers Two British Tourists


In Morocco pedestrians should use pedestrian crossings - or pay a fine. However, some tourists are reacting badly to the new laws in the Highway Code

Two English tourists face up to two years in prison for refusing to pay a fine and assaulting a traffic policeman.

The criminal investigation of Marrakech on Wednesday sent back two English tourists and their Moroccan women to the Attorney General of the King, for "humiliation of a public official during the exercise of his function" and "assaulting a police officer in uniform", reports the daily Akhbar Alyaoum in its edition of January 19th.

The four defendants, who face jail terms of up to four years in prison, initially failed to respect the crosswalks, crossing Hassan II Boulevard in Marrakech. When the policeman explained to them that they must pay a fine of 25 dirhams as provided for in the Highway Code, they reacted violently and assaulted the policeman after refusing to pay the fine.

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Monday, November 27, 2017

Fez to Marrakech Flights - Schedule Change


Air Arabia, a leader in low-cost air transport, launched in June 2017 the first domestic service from Fez to Marrakech. Now it is changing the schedule.


This service was launched as part of its collaboration with the Moroccan National Office of Tourism and was an immediate success. As a result, the frequency has increased since it opened. Today, it is in the same concern to meet the needs of its passengers that Air Arabia Morocco has chosen to change the schedules of its flights on the line, in order to bring more comfort to its customers.

Thus the airline has favoured departures in the early afternoon, not earlier in the morning, but still at the rate of three flights per week, and operating every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Flights from Fez to Marrakesh will be offered Wednesdays at 14:20 - 15:20, Fridays at 12:55 - 13:55, and finally Sundays at 12:25 - 13:25.

As for the service Marrakech - Fez, it will be offered Wednesdays at 16h - 17h, Fridays at 14h35 - 15h35, and Sundays at 14h05 - 15h05.

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Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Kibari Brothers - New Exhibition

Mark your diary! The Kibari brothers are back with an exciting new exhibition.

(Click images to enlarge)


The exhibition will be at the Grand Casino , La Mamounia, Marrakesh from the 24th of November 2017 until the 10th of  Decdember 2017

 Find out more about Aziz Kibari - HERE

Kibari Habib visual artist painter (The Leader)
Kibari Abdel artist sculptor (The Youngest)
Kibari Aziz artist painter and sculptor (The Medium)

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Sunday, October 15, 2017

Lalla Salma Inaugurates Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech


On Saturday, Princess Lalla Salma presided over the inauguration ceremony of the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech. Dedicated to the work of the couturier, the museum hosts part of the collection of the Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent Foundation


After having cut the inaugural ribbon, the princess visited the temporary exhibition of "Jacques Majorelle and Morocco", the permanent exhibition room, Yves Saint Laurent, the shop, the photo gallery and the private library of Feu Pierre Bergé.

Located near the famous Majorelle Garden, the Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech Museum (mYSLm) is a cultural centre that will highlight an important aspect of Moroccan culture.

With a total surface of nearly 4,000 m2, this museum is the appropriate space for fashion and art enthusiasts and for a large audience who enjoy discovering the works of Yves Saint Laurent.

Dedicated to the French couturier and his work, known for his love of the ocher city since he discovered it in 1966 and which has been a source of inspiration, the museum includes a temporary exhibition hall of 150 m2 , an auditorium with 130 seats, a bookshop, a café-restaurant with a terrace and a research library of 5,000 books dedicated to literature, poetry, Andalusian-Arab history and geography, botany, Amazigh (Berber) culture, the work of Yves Saint Laurent and fashion.

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Friday, October 06, 2017

Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech to Open Soon


The newly built Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech will open its doors to the public at the end of October with over 4,000 sqm of museum spaces including major exhibition halls, conservation areas, an auditorium and a library
Yves Saint Laurent, Place Djemaa El Fna, (photo © Reginald Gray)

Olivier Marty and Karl Fournier from Studio KO designed the new Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech (mYSLm), which  is located on Rue Yves Saint Laurent.

The museum is dedicated to the work of the great couturier, and it will conserve a part of the collection belonging to the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent. The entire collection includes 5,000 articles of clothing and 15,000 haute couture accessories, as well as tens of thousands of drawings.

The facade of the building appears as an intersection of cubes with a lace-like covering of bricks, creating patterns that recall the weft and warp of fabric. As with the lining of a couture jacket, the interior is radically different: velvety, smooth and radiant.

The magnificent Jardin Majorelle

Close to the Jardin Majorelle, acquired by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980, the new building covers 4,000 sqm, featuring a 400 sqm permanent exhibition space designed by Christophe Martin, showcasing the fashion work of Yves Saint Laurent. More than just a museum, the mYSLm will include a temporary exhibition space, a research library with over 6,000 volumes, a 150-seat auditorium, a bookstore and a terrace café with interiors designed by Yves Taralon.

The landscaped areas have been designed by garden designer Madison Cox on a surface of 180 square meters reflect the wide diversity of plants cultivated in the country. Sourced locally from specialist plant nurseries in the Marrakech region, they include varieties native to Morocco as well as those introduced centuries ago and well-adapted to the particular climatic conditions of this desert city. Pink Trumpet Vine (Podranea riscasdiana) cascades down into the square, blue and green glazed tiled patio off the entrance to the museum’s interior, creating a cool and refreshing ambience that contrasts with the hot climate of Marrakech.

An intersection of cubes with a lace-like covering of bricks creates patterns that recall the weft and warp of fabric
A large rectangular-shaped reflecting pool lined with zelliges (Moroccan glazed tiles) outside Le Studio Café provides another relaxing and tranquil setting for visitors. It is surrounded with luxuriant, large-leaved plants such as Papyrus, Giant Strelizia, Monstera, and Philodendron that create a jungle-like Henri Rousseau atmosphere. Originally native to Mexico but commonly found throughout Morocco since their introduction to the country centuries ago, Barbary Figs or prickly pears (Opuntiaspp) are extensively planted towards the exit of the museum, where visitors can enjoy their unique shapes and diversity of colour and form.

INFO: museum Architects: Studio KO – Olivier Marty, Karl Fournier Scenography: Christophe Martin Landscape design: Madison Cox Interior design Le Studio Café: Yves Taralon Main contractor: Bymaro Area: 4,000 sqm (400 sqm exhibition hall; 700 sqm conservation area; 120 sqm temporary exhibition hall; 110 sqm café; 180 sqm garden) Completion: 2017

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Thursday, October 05, 2017

Marrakech to Ouarzazate Flights Now on Sale


From November the National Moroccan Tourist Office (ONMT) and the national airline Royal Air Maroc (RAM) are launching a new airline service to link Marrakech and Ouarzazate

Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate

As of November 11 the two tourist cities will be connected by three flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) operated by an aircraft of type ATR72, with a capacity of 70 seats.

This new service, which is part of the strategy by the ONMT to increase the attractiveness of the Ouarzazate region, will allow foreign tourists to enrich their stay in Marrakech by discovering the city of Ouarzazate and to take full advantage of the tourist attractions of the region, such as Kelâat M'Gouna, the Gorges du Dadès and Zagora.

Flights are offered at fixed rates: 300 dirhams for a one-way economy class (round-trip: 600 DH) and 600 dirhams for a one-way ticket in business class (1,200 DH: round trip). The flights are on sale on the www.royalairmaroc.com website, in the company's sales offices and on the network of travel agencies.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Is The Party Over For The Marrakech Biennale?


The Marrakech, initially scheduled in February 2018, has been postponed indefinitely Meanwhile, the brilliant critic of Cameroonian art, Christine Eyene, has been appointed curator of the next edition of the Biennale of Casablanca, scheduled for October 2018


The Marrakech Biennale has run into problems over funding and its image as a "party event", an image that has upset many locals.

"There is no money," says Amine Kabbaj, executive chairman of the event. I have written twice to His Majesty, I do not know how to awaken people to the highest level. Culture is not the priority of this government. "

Founded 13 years ago by Britain's Vanessa Branson (sister of Richard Branson, patron of Virgin group), the event managed to raise 900,000 euros from Moroccan sponsors in 2016. The edition led by Palestinian exhibition commissioner Reem Fadda was high quality and had a record attendance of 100,000 visitors. The choice of the excellent Moroccan exhibition curator Mouna Mekouar to orchestrate the next edition presaged the best.

But today is the time of the accounts. And, for the first time, the Biennale has a deficit of about 300,000 euros. Worse, it alienated the local community. "It is a biennial that has been made for foreigners and not for Moroccans," says Yasmina Naji, director of the gallery and Kulte Art Centre in Rabat. "Much money was spent in festive events, private parties, and very little on the production of works. The Biennale was poorly managed."

The cancellation is a blow to the contemporary art fair 1:54, which had voluntarily grafted on its calendar to organise its first edition in Marrakech. "I am sad that the Biennale is rejected, but I am convinced that it is only partly handed over," says Touria El-Glaoui, its director. "It seems all the more essential to launch 1:54 Marrakech and to offer an international exhibition of quality to the Moroccan public."

1:54 is a leading African art fair and after a successful third edition in New York in May 2017, the fair will return for its fifth London edition from the 5-8th October 2017.

Amine Kabbaj said she wanted to try everything for the end of November, with the organisation by the Moroccan Art Works Company (CMOOA), in a large hotel in Marrakech, of a charity sale of works donated by the artists. " It's not serious, now ask artists to fund the Biennale!"  says Yasmina Naji. "In any case, a biennale does not come up in a few months. Finally, we must understand the necessity of placing cultural management professionals at the head of this event."

Meanwhile in Casablanca...

Mostapha Romli, the founding president of the International Biennial of Casablanca, has named Christine Eyene the artistic director of the exhibition’s fourth edition, which will kick off in October 2018.

Founded in 2012, the biennial aims to create dialogue between Moroccan and African artists and the international art scene.

Christine Eyene

Eyene is a research fellow in contemporary art at the University of Central Lancashire, where she works on “Making Histories Visible,” an interdisciplinary visual arts research project led by artist and professor Lubaina Himid. She is also the cofounder of YaPhoto, a photography platform based in Yaounde, Cameroon. More recently, she organised the touring exhibition “Sounds Like Her,” which showcases women’s practices in music and sound art, opening at New Art Exchange in Nottingham in October 2017.

“It is in Morocco that I took my first steps in contemporary art many years ago,” Eyene said. “I am delighted at the opportunity to develop a large-scale project bridging Morocco and Africa with diverse international art contexts.”

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Thursday, September 07, 2017

Upcoming Moroccan Festivals



Another big event this year in Marrakech. The Oasis Festival is back for a third edition, from the 14th to 17th of September, bringing together the best of the national and international electronic music scene

For its third edition, the biggest festival of electronic music of Morocco provides a rich and varied programme. This year, the organisers have appealed to an array of world-renowned artists, such as the great Richie Hawtin, known for his taste for technological innovation, and the American-Chilean musician, Nicolas Jaar, who, since its inception, has traced line of sophisticated electronic music.

In a very short time, the Oasis festival allowed Morocco to become a long-term player on the map of the festival destinations, and, faithful to its vocation, the festival continues to participate in the emergence of the Moroccan electronic scene, with the participation of founding father Unes, rising star, Jaza, and the new ambassador of Moroccan electronic music, Amine K and many others.

For the organisers, the 2017 edition is the most impressive in terms of programming since the creation of the festival in 2015. For this year they decided to add an extra day with the official opening party taking place on Thursday September 14th, when the popular Solomun will make his first Moroccan appearance.

The Tanjazz Festival will rock Tangier from the 14th to 17th of September. After paying tribute to the women of jazz during its previous edition, it is the turn of young talent to shine in the spotlight
To celebrate its 18th anniversary, there will be five musical stages with more than 120 singers and musicians during the 55 concerts.

"We wanted to introduce the public to the new voices of jazz, which will perhaps be the headliners of tomorrow," says Philippe Lorin, director of the Tanjazz festival. These are, nevertheless, confirmed artists that Lorin, also artistic director of the event, went to look for in different festivals in the world. "I could listen to these artists by traveling, receiving applications, but also by browsing the web, like everyone else," he says.

Spectators will be able to dance to the rhythm of New Orleans thanks to a rich program and artists from here and elsewhere, such as the 18-year-old Spanish trumpeter and singer Rita Payès, who will open the ball on stage at the BMCI Palais, the Croatian pianist and singer Daniel Čačija, and the quartet by Janis Peruzzi, whose composition combines the rhythms of jazz with oriental sounds.

Other artists are expected, among others, to be headliners, the composer and interpreter of Moroccan-Syrian origin, Samia Tawil, with influences both RnB and funk, the Austrian duo Michaela Rabitsch and Robert Pawlik, Nicolle Rochelle  and Hot Antic Jazz Band and many others.

While the Jazz is appreciated by the Moroccan public and is at the core of two other major festivals in Morocco, the Jazzablanca festival in the economic capital and the Jazz at the Chellah in Rabat, it remains, nevertheless, very little played by the local musicians. Tanjazz's artist list includes only two artists of Moroccan origin (Samia Tawil and Teema) this year.


Oujda hosts the 4th Blouza Festival

The Blouza is a costume or dress originally, from the town of Tlemcen. The blouza (strangely) resembles the low-cut dresses and cuffs of Joséphine, the wife of Napoleon I. Some claim its design was a way of paying tribute to the Emperor, who for a time thought of emancipating the natives from the French colonies, La blouza is traditionally worn by married and middle-aged women. It is long and sewn in one piece or two. It is curved at the waist, is worn with short sleeves, the décolleté and the back are worked in pearls and traditional refined embroideries sewn on to form the part covering the whole chest. Today it is widespread and very popular in the cities of the Orientale region of Morocco, specifically in Oujda
The 4th edition of the Blouza Festival will take place from the 7th to 10th of September in Oujda on the initiative of the Eastern Association for Development (AOD), under the theme "Blouza, a cultural tributary of the western Mediterranean"

Initiated in partnership with the Oriental Development Agency, the 4th edition of this cultural event, which aims to perpetuate the heritage of the region, and  to encourage stylists to innovate and to produce quality works.

To highlight the Mediterranean anchorage of culture and heritage of the Kingdom, this edition will be marked by the presence of Moroccan and foreign specialists in the field, giving them the opportunity to discover, according to the AOD, "the intrinsic ties of our common heritage and thus bring an international dimension to our Festival ".
"This Festival will also be an opportunity to promote the work of craftswomen in order to create income-generating activities through the creation of cooperatives and thus highlight the specificities of the Oriental in the framework of advanced regionalisation advocated by the Kingdom" - AOD
The program of the Festival includes discussions on the festival theme, stands to exhibit and market artisan products, and a fashion show that will highlight the work of stylists and craftsmen and women.


"A few decades ago, the Oujdie woman and the Oriental in general were proud to conceive their Blouza themselves and to shape it under different cuts and models. This is the main reason why the Blouza has become a heritage, "says the President of the AOD

He added that the Blouza Oujdia, which had almost been put away in the antique shops and disappeared, is regaining its titles of nobility, thanks to the efforts made in particular in the framework of this event, which made it possible to reinforce the concept Blouza and promote this traditional dress of the city of Oujda and the Region.

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Friday, August 25, 2017

New Flights to Morocco


This winter low cost airline Transavia France will offer a new link between Nantes and Agadir


As of December 23, 2017, Air France's subsidiary will offer two flights a week between its base in Nantes-Atlantique and the airport of Agadir-Al Massira, operated in Boeing 737-800 with 189 seats.

Departures are scheduled Tuesday and Saturday at 7:10 am to arrive at 9:15 am, return flights leaving Morocco at 10:00 am will land at 14:15.  Tickets will cost 70 Euro one way.

Transavia will compete with TUIfly Belgium on this route, which will only be operated on Saturday from 8 January to 24 February 2018.

According to Hervé Kozar, Deputy General Manager of Transavia France, "The opening of this new destination in winter 2017 demonstrates once again the strong attractiveness of Morocco and confirms our desire to offer travellers of the Nantes region a greater diversity of choices in terms of destinations".

In other airline news,  the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) has signed a partnership agreement with German tour operator FTI in Munich to operate flights to Marrakech.

This agreement concerns the organisation of four flights per week to Marrakech from four German cities, Hanover, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Cologne.

This partnership is of paramount importance in that it promotes the city of Marrakech with a tour operator known in the market, explained to the ONMT.

It will promote new flights and reinforce others already launched under previously signed agreements.

Abderrafie Zouiten

Director General of the ONMT Abderrafie Zouiten, ''This is a real breakthrough as it is the first time that Marrakech will be scheduled with four weekly charter flights departing from the German market".

The number of tourists from the German market, including members of the Moroccan community, reached 278,000 tourists at the end of June, an increase of 12%.

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Thursday, June 15, 2017

Marrakech to Paris With Air Arabia

Air Arabia Maroc will open a new route between Marrakech and Paris from October 31


According to Morocco World News flights will be on Airbus 320 three days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.

Flights will run at 6.30 a.m., 11.40 a.m., 7 p.m., arriving to Paris at local time 11 a.m., 2.10 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. respectively.

Flights to Paris will start from MAD 599.

Air Arabia CEO Abel Ali says, “This new line solidifies our continuing approach in favour of increasing the touristic and economic exchanges between Morocco and France. This link adds to our well established network to France which possesses 22 daily flights across five Moroccan airports."

Based in Casablanca and founded in April 2009, Air Arabia Maroc is Morocco’s first low cost airline.

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Saturday, April 01, 2017

Kibari Brothers Exhibition at La Mamounia, Marrakech

La Mamounia in Marrakech is hosting an exhibition by the Kibari Brothers; Abdel, Aziz and Habib

The Kibari brothers are part of a family of well known Moroccan artists and a visit to their exhibition will be an interesting experience.  Make a note in your art diary!


The exhibition will be at La Mamounia Hotel, Marrakesh from the 6th of April 2017 until the 6th May 2017

 Find out more about Aziz Kibari - HERE

Kibari Brothers Abdel,Aziz and Habib are also on display at By Design and Co Art Gallery

By Design and Co Art Gallery


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Monday, February 27, 2017

Fez Gets Boost From Direct Flights From Marrakech

Fez to Marrakech flights are to be inaugurated by Air Arabia Maroc, as part of a collaboration between the airline and the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT). Tourism professionals have long called for links between Marrakech and Morocco's spiritual capital and the new flights should give Fez a tremendous boost in tourist numbers.

Also included in the announcement  on Sunday were positive moves to strengthen tourist activity in Fez through the launch of 14 new international services. Flights between Fez and Marrakech will be scheduled three times a week, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, with prices being kept below 450 dirhams (45 USD).

The internal link between Fez and Marrakech is long overdue as travel between the two major tourist cities has previously involved lengthy train or road journeys. Air Arabia said that this new service is motivated by the fact that Fez and the region around it has great tourist potential.

Commenting on the opening of these new lines, the CEO of the Air Arabia Group, said that "Fez is a major tourist city in Morocco that attracts a large number of European tourists every year. Continuous support to the Moroccan tourism sector and our commitment to offer our customers a facilitated weekly correspondence between Morocco and the various European cities." In addition, "the new internal link between Fez and Marrakech is part of our desire to encourage foreign tourists to visit its two imperial cities," added the official.

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Thursday, February 09, 2017

Travel Writing - Irish Times Criticised


Over the years travel writing about Morocco has improved. Gone are the stories rife with orientalist fantasy, or filled with warnings about being ripped off by unscrupulous vendors in the souks. However, the Irish Times recently ran a story by Michelle Walshe that has created a debate amongst both expats and locals

The headline - 'As a woman in Morocco you cover up, no matter what the guide books say' - immediately evoked a reaction on social media from readers.
Cafes are men-only domains. Shopping malls cater for Muslim not western women. The veil is not only in fashion, it is integral to the culture. As a western woman, you make adjustments. You don’t go out alone at night. In fact, you don’t go out alone at all. You cover up, no matter what the guide books say. And you speak French or you don’t manage. - Michelle Walshe
Shopping malls only cater for Muslim women? One response on Twitter pointed out - @IrishTimes And the shopping. How can one miss Zara, H&M, Mango, in heart of city? All next to cafes filled with men and women.

Marrakech resident Mandy Sinclair responds...Statements such as, "Cafes are men-only domains. Shopping malls cater for Muslim not western women. The veil is not only in fashion, it is integral to the culture,” are not only inaccurate but a laughable misrepresentation of the city. One doesn’t have to venture far to discover cafes lining the street with both men and women. And head on down to the central plaza (everyone knows it) on the weekend where international high street shops Zara and Mango are heaving with locals and you’ll soon find that the same clothes available in these shops are available in any other city around the world. I can speak from experience as I recently nipped in to Zara while back in Canada and during a weekend getaway to Barcelona.

"Cafes are men-only domains"

The comment about "covering up" also drew a response.

hey @IrishTimes I'm heading in my gym gear, unveiled, to a mixed gym for spin class. Ready to pull your misinformed article Marrakech yet?
"It has never been suggested to me, either explicitly or in material I have read about Morocco, that I should cover my head in any manner in order to fit in" - Canadian Expat Kathi Black.
Most general advice to tourists is to dress respectfully. While it is true that young women often find themselves the centre of unwanted attention, in general, Moroccan men are respectful to women. Most expats soon find they are recognised as part of the community and treated as such. Even in the Fez Medina, which is far more conservative than Marrakech, women feel safer on the streets than they would in many Western cities.

Mandy Sinclair backs that up. "What couldn’t be further from the truth is the blanket statement, “As a western woman, you make adjustments. You don’t go out alone at night. In fact, you don’t go out alone at all.” In fact, I’m waiting for my single female colleague to finish up for the day so we can meet at our favourite wine bar for after work drinks. I’ve felt safer in Morocco than I do in most European and North American cities."

Another expat, Kathi Black, agrees, "I live my life as I would in Canada. I live alone, work alone, and travel around the city and country alone. I exercise common sense safety measures of course. But I have never felt scared to leave my house alone".

Kathi also disagrees with the Irish Times story and the claim that Marrakech tries hard to be like the West. "Western countries like to call themselves “melting pots” and flaunt their “tolerant” views, but Morocco is quietly living those values and has been for centuries. Moroccans are extraordinarily proud of who they and would never try to be something else. They don’t try to be like the West, but they are in many ways, because of their French influence and in that sense they come by their Western influence and liberal thinking honestly, in an authentic way. But they also live unabashedly in their ancient roots. In Marrakech you can pass the morning in the shops of the local shopping malls, and the afternoon in cafes and restaurants as you wish, and the evening in the ancient medina among an exotic culture that in many ways hasn’t changed since the 7th century".

Kathi goes on to say, "As a guest in this country, I do my best to show graciousness toward my hosts. I attempt to communicate in French, a language I do not speak. I have learned a few essential phrases in Darija in order to show respect, but I have never had a problem not knowing the language. There are more than enough selfless locals who will give you the shirt off their back, a ride to the local agency, their translation services and split their lunch with you. It has never been suggested to me, either explicitly or in material I have read about Morocco, that I should cover my head in any manner in order to fit in.

For the record, French newspaper, Le Monde. has named Marrakech among the world’s top 20 destinations to visit in 2017. According to data from Morocco’s Tourism Observatory, more than 8.1million tourists visited Marrakech in the first nine months of 2016.

Kathi Black is the co-owner of the tour company Roaming Camels

Mandy Sinclair runs the popular blog Why Morocco? She also is the founder and managing director of Say Something Communications SARL and Tasting Marrakech food and cultural tours

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Wednesday, February 01, 2017

Flying Carpet Flights - Tel Aviv to Casablanca?


The Israeli media are reporting that the Israeli tour operator Flying Carpet is looking at launching a flight link between Tel Aviv and Casablanca and Marrakech on a weekly basis starting in May

If the flights go ahead they will be the first since 2004 when, at the time of the Second Intifada, Flying Carpet suspended flights from Tel Aviv to Marrakesh

According to the reports Flying Carpet will link Israel and Morocco via flights operated by the Italian low-cost carrier Neos. To circumvent the absence of an air agreement between the kingdom and Israel, the tour operator plans a passage through the city of Catania in Sicily before connecting Morocco. The main reason that these flights are going to be stopping in Catania, Sicily for a short period of time is because Morocco and Israel don’t have a mutual flight agreement planes from one country are not allowed to fly directly to the other.

To get around this, the plane will land in Catania, where passengers disembark from the aircraft, receive new tickets showing the origin of the flight being from Italy, and re-board the plane, and then fly on to Morocco.

The plane's flight log will also register as only flying to and from Italy, as opposed to and from Israel.

The price of the ticket will be 600 dollars and the flights initially once a week, with a rotation between the airports of Casablanca and Marrakech. A test phase will be launched for two months before becoming regular.

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Monday, June 13, 2016

Marrakech Lures Michelle Obama and her Daughters


Tourism in Marrakech is set to get a boost from an unusual quarter - the White House. The wife of the US President, Michelle Obama and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, have, if the rumours are to be believed, chosen Marrakech for their next holiday

According to informed sources, the Obama women will head to Marrakech towards the end of June for a holiday that will last at least one week. No precise information regarding where they will stay is available, though White House insiders say that Michelle Obama is not a great fan of luxurious resorts.

The news outlet Le360 carries the story that the Obama's trip will include visits to smaller communities in the area around Marrakech.

The holiday will be the first visit of Michelle Obama to Morocco. While President Obama has never visited the kingdom although he had planned a visit to Tangier back in 2014, a trip which ended up being cancelled.

While the media coverage of the visit will raise the tourist profile of the city, it will also be accompanied by a large security presence,


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