WTTC expresses condolences to the people of Morocco

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As the seasons change and the weather cools, there’s something romantic about curling up at home with a cocktail to warm your bones. The assortment of fall flavors is like nothing else throughout the year, an opportunity seized upon by the world’s best mixologists.

Heritage tourism experts grappled with complex issues of presenting culture and heritage to tourists at an international gathering of culture tourism experts 24-25 September in Valencia, Spain. Just over 100 delegates from 17 countries debated the latest issues, trends and opportunities affecting the sector, which accounts for 40% of all tourism activity, according to the UNWTO.

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.

Qatar Airways plans to expand its flight schedule across U.S. airports and has its sights set on reaching 250 destinations worldwide, CEO Akbar Al Baker told reporters at a news conference in Seattle earlier this month.

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Out in a flat plain of reddish sand against a wide blue sky, a group of men set up a baseball field. The home base is made from a green plastic crate propped on a tire, and the players stand in an outfield, stark figures against an expansive horizon. Spanish phrases interlay the general chitchat in Arabic. The batter crouches, ready for the ball, as the pitcher pivots his leg to throw. His ball strikes the ground far ahead of the plate, and the batter stands straight as if to say, ‘Come on? Really?’

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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.

“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.”

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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