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12.09.2023 - 18:43 / travelpulse.com / Laurie Baratti
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.
Travelers with upcoming trips planned to the popular North African destination are no doubt wondering what they should do at this point. If you’re among them, your first inclination might be to cancel or postpone, but those on the ground in Morocco are saying that isn’t necessarily the best thing for the country.
The epicenter of Friday night’s 6.8-magnitude quake was located in the High Atlas mountain range in the province of Al Haouz. It was where it was also felt strongly in the nearby commercial and tourism hub of Marrakech, where intense seismic activity damaged the city’s historic medina (old town). A mosque in its iconic Jemaa el-Fna square is now “barely recognizable”, according to CNN’s on-the-scene reporter, its ornate tower “almost entirely collapsed”.
Koutoubia mosque, Marrakech, Morocco (mmeee / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Popular seaside vacation spots like Essaouira and Agadir also felt the quake strongly, but, while it was still felt in northern cities like Casablanca and Fez, they sustained no damage. In Marrakech, all historical monuments remain closed until further notice, including such notable sites as the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace.
While some of the region has undeniably suffered devastating losses and emergency aid is still being delivered to High Atlas communities, much of the country is reportedly continuing to operate without interruption.
Public transportation has already resumed and is running normally, airports are open and flights are operating as usual. In Marrakech, plenty of private institutions, hotels, galleries and museums have already reopened, as have many souks (marketplace stalls) whose owners now worry about the lack of visitors.
In the aftermath of the quake itself, the country could suffer further damage if tourists do not continue to come. Travelers are, of course, advised to check with their tour operator about whether it plans to proceed with their scheduled departure, as each company is handling the situation differently.
PHOTO: Jemaa el-Fnaa Square in Marrakech, Morocco. (photo via Camptures/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Area residents, tour operators and on-the-ground reporters all echo the same advice: For the moment, steer clear of destinations in the High Atlas mountains, to leave the way clear for first responders and emergency aid to
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After its deadliest earthquake in more than 60 years, Morocco is calling on investors to inject capital into its tourism sector, with opportunities ranging from developing beach resorts to building theme parks. The North African country is seeking to double the amount of investment in its tourism industry to $2 billion a year by 2026, Imad Barrakad, chief executive of the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development, told The National on the sidelines of the Future Hospitality Summit in Abu Dhabi.
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This month’s earthquake in Morocco claimed thousands of lives and left many homeless, including workers in the tourism sector, who are sleeping in empty hotel ballrooms or apartments rented out by their employers, according to the properties we spoke to.
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“My family is safe,” our tour guide Sara Chakir said as we huddled in the streets outside Fez’s medina, waiting for aftershocks until the early hours. Morocco’s 6.8 magnitude earthquake had struck last Friday, 350 miles away in the Al Haouz region of the High Atlas mountains at just after 11pm. It was enough to send our riad swaying, but there was no apparent damage to people or place. It was only in the morning that the scale of destruction elsewhere was clear. Another tour guide, Hossain ait Mhand, said: “My family is fine, but others in their town are not so lucky – homes have been flattened.”
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) stands in solidarity with the people of Morocco during this tragic time. The news of the devastating earthquake in the High Atlas mountains, the deadliest in 60 years, has deeply moved us all. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones, and to the numerous communities shattered by this disaster.
Morocco is a fantastic year-round vacation destination, but choosing the best time of year to travel will depend on your interests and holiday needs.
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The Kasbah La Dame Bija guesthouse in Morocco’s picturesque Ouirgane Valley escaped unscathed from an earthquake that devastated the area, but the owner’s bookings collapsed and he worries about whether the region can revive its tourist appeal.