Marrakech Tourism Plummets as COVID-19 Empties Iconic Jamaa El Fna Square

"Before, you had to wait your turn to get a table," Bachir, a waiter in a cafe, tells AFP. The large terrace of this establishment located in the heart of the famous Jamaa El Fna square, the symbol of the ochre city, has become deserted. "This is the first time I’ve seen Jamaa El Fna so empty, it makes me sad," adds Mohamed Bassir, an orange juice vendor.

No more snake charmers, street musicians, souvenir vendors and fortune tellers at this famous square. Since the state of health emergency came into effect in mid-March, activities have been running at a slow pace. "Most merchants have closed their shops, the others open to kill time because there is nothing to do at home," says Mohamed Challah in his caftan shop. Like many other merchants, this man "no longer sells anything".

While merchants and tourism operators were counting on making a good financial recovery after the end of the lockdown in July, their hopes were dashed. The authorities banned travel to and from eight cities, including Marrakech, at the end of July. As a result, "hotels have closed, thousands of employees have found themselves unemployed and the whole city is now at a standstill," confides a tourism consultant.

Faced with the situation, professionals in the sector have organized several sit-ins. They depict their situation with words written on a banner: "The coronavirus won’t have time to kill us, hunger will take care of it first." Pending a return to normal, the hashtag "Marrakech is suffocating" has been launched on social media with photos of patients sleeping on the floor of the main hospital in the tourist capital.