Recent news from within Morocco illustrates the thin line the country currently straddles between modernization and conservatism, liberalism and suppression. In March 2008 during his speech to celebrate Mouloud, the Prophet Mohammed's birthday, King Mohammed VI called on fellow Muslim heads of state to preach "fraternity, justice, and moderationÂ?ideals that highlight dialogue, tolerance, co-existence, and interaction among religions and civilizations. They reject, however, extremism, ostracism, violence, and all forms of aggression." As is usual on these occasions, over 500 prisoners were granted a royal pardon by the king. Among them was 27-year-old Faouad Mourtada, who had spent 43 days in jail for merely creating a fake Facebook profile of the king's brother, HRH Crown Prince Moulay Rachid. The young computer engineer's imprisonment hit headlines around the world, and is a stark reminder that despite the country's progress in "opening up" since Mohammed VI acceded to the throne in 1999, the criticizing, lampooning, or ridiculing of the Moroccan monarchy is still a definite no-go zone.
For a more visual example of the rapidly changing, sometimes turbulent times facing many Moroccans, do as I did only recently and watch Ismael Ferroukhi's fantastic movie, Le Grand Voyage. Filmed largely in France and Morocco, this is a road trip movie of a different kind. An aging Moroccan immigrant in France asks his son -- who is heavily ensconced in his suburban Parisian life with no real interest in Islam and speaks no Arabic -- to drive him to Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage. By film's end I dare you to not be touched by the film's gentle message about the spirituality of religion -- in this case, Islam - and its place in today's world. Released in Australia in 2007, and due for worldwide release in mid-2008, is Suzanna Clarke's wonderful novel, A House in Fez (Penguin/Viking, 2007). This travelogue follows the author's experiences while restoring a dilapidated riad in the medina of Fes el Bali, and in the process provides a fascinating and current insight into the culture of Morocco and the warmth of its people.
Planning Your Trip
According to the Moroccan Tourism and Craft Ministry, over 7 million tourists visited Morocco in 2007 -- a 13% rise from 2006. In its annual statement, the ministry noted tourism has become the major source of investment and job creation in the country, as well as a driving force for sustainable development, contributing 8% to the nation's GDP. With King Mohammed VI's personal backing, Morocco's "Vision 2010" strategy aims to attract 10 million tourists annually by 2010, with 230,000 hotel beds offered nightly and 600,000 new jobs created in the process. A major player in bringing the tourists to Morocco are the low-cost airlines that were given access to the country upon the government's 2006 "Open Skies" policy. EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) has recently expanded its coverage into Morocco, with flights now available between Lyon and Casablanca, Madrid and Casablanca, Madrid and Tangier, and Basel/Geneva/Lyon/Madrid/Milan/Paris and Marrakech. Jet4you (www.jet4you.com) has recently begun operating flights between various European cities and Agadir, Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech, and Tangier. The first low-cost airline operating out of the Middle East, Sharjah-based Air Arabia (www.airarabia.com) plans to establish a second hub in Rabat sometime in 2008, in the process providing budget airfares between Europe and the Middle East. According to recent comments by fellow travelers, Royal Air Maroc's low-cost subsidiary Atlas Blue unfortunately continues to earn a bad reputation for frequent delays and seemingly random cancellations of flights.
When surfing the Internet for current news and information on Morocco, note that the English-language version of Maroc Annonces's website is no longer available. A worthy alternative is the English version of Maghreb Arabe Presse, at www.map.ma.
Terrorism concerns within the country were raised again in August 2007 when a man unsuccessfully attempted to explode a small device near a tourist coach in Meknes, and in February, 2008 when the Algerian-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) -- better known as the North African branch of Al Qaeda -- kidnapped two Austrian tourists in Tunisia-Algerian southern desert region. Included in the militant group's subsequent statement was a warning to Western tourists not to visit any North African countries, including Morocco. The potential danger of terrorism attacks within Morocco can't be ignored, but in general the country is still considered one of the world's safest Islamic countries for Western travelers to visit.
Marrakech
As of March 2008, the new terminal at Marrakech-Menara Airport is still under construction, as is the major refurbishment of Marrakech's famous hotel, La Mamounia (Avenue Bab Jdid, Medina; tel. 024/388600; www.mamounia.com). The hotel has been closed since July 2006, with the renovations taking place under the direction of noted French interior designer Jacques Garcia. It's hoped that along with the desperately needed revamp to the hotel's interior, La Mamounia's notoriously inefficient staff and over-priced facilities will also be given a new lease on life.
Fes
For those attending Fes's Festival of World Sacred Music, a ticket collection service is now offered by the accommodation agency, Fez Riads (tel. 035/740815 or 072/513357; helenranger@gmail.com). Tickets still have to be purchased through the ticketing agency Objectif Maroc (tel. 035/652816 or 035/652817; fax 035/621776; objectif_badria@menara.ma), but this new collection service takes away the hassle of trying to find the ticket office upon your arrival in Fes. Your tickets are delivered to your accommodation in time for your arrival, and the service costs 300dh (£19/$38) per set of tickets per person or group.Café Clock (tel. 061/183264) is currently closed on Mondays, although owner Mike Richardson is considering opening 7 days a week thanks to an overwhelming number of appreciative diners since he opened in late 2007. Note that the website (www.cafeclock.com) is currently not operating.
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