Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 14. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
25.08.2023 - 14:03 / skift.com / North Africa
Morocco, one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, is eager to showcase one of its biggest and unlikely attractions — killer waves.
The North African country is one of dozens of destinations worldwide leveraging the sport’s booming popularity to lure travelers to its popular surfing destinations, especially Taghazout and Agadir. Morocco has hosted dozens of major surfing events in recent years, including the Rip Curl Pro Search Taghazout Bay in February.
Morocco’s push to make greater inroads in the global surfing tourism market — projected to be worth $3.1 billion in 2026 — is part of its Vision 2020 plan to boost tourism. The country is already poised to get a visitor boost this summer from 35 new routes connecting eight Moroccan cities to overseas destinations. One of them is Essaouira, another prominent Moroccan surfing location that Ireland-based budget carrier Ryanair is serving from London. Meanwhile, Agadir is in particular likely to see a surge in visitors as UK-based low-cost carrier EasyJet is connecting Glasgow to the city this summer.
And hotel giant Hilton believes it’s in prime position to take advantage of those travelers flying into Agadir to surf, having opened its Taghazout Bay Beach Resort & Spa last October. The property, located a little more than two miles from Taghazout and eight from Agadir, offers customized surfing trips to its guests.
“Taghazout is (considered) the capital of surfing …. and being here adds value for surf clients,” said Gary Steffen, Hilton’s global category head for its full-service brands, about the city considered one of the world’s most prominent surfing locations.
However, some executives at local surf camps believe the Ministry of Tourism is still not giving them enough support.
“Sadly, the Ministry of Tourism is supporting Marrakech more and not Agadir or surf camps,” said Ismail Rady, co-founder of the Tamraght-based Desert Surf Camp, adding that he believes the government provides more aid to five-star hotels. “We don’t have support from (tourism authorities) … and they want to make it harder for small businesses like surf camps to thrive.”
“The government in general tries to boost small businesses but not surfers. A lot of surfers (want) to open surf shops but find it difficult to obtain licenses. It’s very hard for young entrepreneurs.”
But Shiraz Ksaiba, co-owner of the Taghazout-based Amayour Surf and Yoga Camp, sees no issue with major hotels being involved in surf tourism. She believes that they are catering to different types of travelers and helping attract more tourists to Morocco.
“This increases the number of surfers in the region and benefits the surfing shops. It also helps the local trade,” she notes.
Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, September 14. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Morocco is a family-centric, peaceful country with genuine warmth and love for children of all ages. It's home to cultures where large families are standard – a family of five to six children, and multi-generational homes are considered the norm. It's not unusual for people you've just met to offer kisses, hugs, and cadeaus (gifts) for your kids. Traveling with kids to Morocco can open doors to unique experiences, connecting you deeper to its people and your own family.
“Morocco is open, Morocco is safe, and Morocco is still an incredible place to visit.”
Last week, Morocco suffered its deadliest earthquake in over 60 years, and the strongest to hit the nation’s center in more than a century. More than 2,600 people are known to have been killed and 2,500 more were injured by the unforeseen natural disaster, according to CNN. The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers continue searching through the rubble for survivors and trying to reach remote communities.
Recovery efforts are underway in Morocco following the massive 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the country late Friday, killing more than 2,100 people, injuring thousands more, and leaving scores without a home to return to.
On September 8, 2023, a devastating earthquake took place in Morocco, killing thousands of people and injuring thousands more. Many in the country’s mountainous communities are still unable to access communication, medical help, or supplies from the outside at the time of writing (September 11) and relief is urgently needed for those affected in remote communities of the High Atlas Mountains.
When you think about visiting Morocco, you’re probably thinking about staying in riad. Although riads are undeniably pretty cool, it’s worth going outside the box and checking out this ecodome in Essaouira. Les Jardins de Villa Maroc, surrounded by Argan and Tuya trees, is a county guesthouse with 11 stylish and eco-friendly “ecodomes.”
The impact of Morocco’s deadly earthquake is still being assessed as emergency services continue rescue operations. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake has claimed more than 2,000 lives, and thousands more are injured, after the natural disaster struck about 50 miles outside of Marrakesh in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco on Friday.
The high-end, experiential travel show Pure Life Experience, meant to take place in Marrakesh from 10 to 13 September, has been canceled.
Tom Brady is getting back to work. Just not on the gridiron.
Centered on the pivotal theme “Transforming Demand Trends to Reshape the Future of Intra-Africa Travel,” the 2023 ATLF & Awards is poised to offer unparalleled networking corridors, growth-centric business prospects, and cutting-edge educational modules.
More than 40 countries worldwide offer e-visas, travel permits that consumers can obtain online through a destination’s tourist visa website instead of having to go to an embassy or consulate, in their quest to help boost tourism. That figure includes a growing list of African nations that believe the emerging form of technology can help their travel industries run more efficiently.