Moroccan Tourists Shun Domestic Travel Amid Rising Prices and Poor Service

The quality of tourist services offered to nationals leaves much to be desired, criticizes the Moroccan Federation for the Protection of Consumer Rights, accusing some operators of "fraud" against the Moroccan tourist, relaying Al Akhbar. The association "denounced all the scams to which citizens are exposed during their holidays", highlighting "the very low level of tourist services offered at very high prices".

The Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights notes this year "a worrying increase in cases of fraud by certain tourist operators against national consumers". This situation is pushing many Moroccans to go abroad for their summer holidays, adds the association, citing as an example the cities of the north of the kingdom and the Mediterranean coast which have been deserted this summer compared to last year.

National tourists did not flock to these cities this summer season, notably due to the high cost of accommodation, which has forced the owners of these accommodation establishments to lower prices. Currently, the overnight stay in apartments offered for rent costs between 250 and 400 dirhams, informs the daily. Similarly, the services offered in hotel restaurants are overpriced.

A bottle of water in a hotel is sold for nearly 50 dirhams when it is sold at the corner grocery store for 5 dirhams. "The price of soft and alcoholic drinks has tripled while the restaurant bill is easily doubled," the newspaper notes, adding that this surge in prices has prompted many Moroccans to spend their holidays outside the kingdom, particularly in Spain, Portugal or Turkey.