Marrakech Shisha Businesses Seek Urgent Solutions Amid Crackdown

For professionals, the stakes are high. They claim that shisha is a "fundamental pillar" of the Marrakech economy. According to them, this sector employs more than 5,000 people and contributes significantly to the city’s tax revenues. They believe that the control campaigns are jeopardizing many establishments, thus threatening thousands of jobs.

Rather than a ban, the owners of these establishments are calling for the regularization of the activity. They say they are ready to collaborate with the authorities to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations in force. They deplore that the control campaigns only highlight the negative aspect of shisha, without taking into account its role in the economy of the "ochre city".

The union of entertainment professionals in Marrakech also requests an emergency meeting with the wali. The objective? To discuss the problems encountered and find a "consensual" solution to organize this activity, while respecting the conditions of safety, health and the laws in force.

Professionals point to a "legal void" surrounding the shisha activity in Marrakech. This legal ambiguity makes them vulnerable to control campaigns. They are calling for an intervention by the authorities to define a clear legal framework and thus guarantee the stability of the sector.