Travel Weekly Digital Edition

‘While we want people to visit us, we want them to respect us, as well.” — Rachid Maaninou, Moroccan National Tourist Office
Resort developments pop up along Morocco coastline

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2007 to 2011,” he said. “They will be environmentally friendly; hotels will only be one floor high, and only 20% of resort land will be developed.”

In addition to the six Azur Plan initia-

tives, global investors are busy enhancing tourism infrastructure across Morocco.

For example, developers from Dubai are investing $5 billion in Rabat and $2 billion in a mountain ski resort at Oukaimeden. Qatari businessmen are putting $2 billion

into Tangier, where a new container port for cargo will free up existing ports at Tangier and Casablanca for leisure vessels.

A new highway — and, eventually, the development of high-speed rail — between Tangier and Marrakech will take hours off

intercity trips.

In Marrakech, luxury hotel brands such as Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Beachcomber Royal Palm, Lucien Barriere Fouquet’s and Octagon are planning new properties.

Investments in Morocco will total about $40 billion over 20 years, according to Maaninou.

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The Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech.

Will it sell?

Morocco may build it, but will Americans come? Given the rise in anti-U.S. sentiment across the Islamic world, Maaninou acknowledged that American travelers might be hesitant to vacation in what’s perceived to be a Middle Eastern destination.

However, Morocco is historically counted among the most cosmopolitan and diverse Muslim nations. “Morocco is a very tolerant country,” said Maaninou. “It’s a country, for example, where Jews and Muslims have lived together for centuries with few problems. We don’t say there are no problems in Morocco, but we face them.”

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As a parliamentary monarchy, Morocco is ruled by secular law. Hence, alcohol is available to non-Muslim visitors at all times.

That said, the MNTO encourages Western vacationers to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural norms, said Maaninou.

“We have launched a huge program of responsible tourism because while we want people to visit us, we want them to respect us, as well,” he said. “We have our own culture and religion, and there are things tourists should not do. For example, you can drink, but you shouldn’t be completely inebriated on the street.”