Morocco Considers Banning Hotel Marriage Contract Requirements

Mr. Ouahbi was clear: requiring a marriage contract to book a hotel room is illegal and constitutes an offense punishable by legal proceedings. Similarly, refusing a room to a woman on the grounds that she does not reside in the same city is also illegal.

This statement is based on the lack of legal basis for such requirements. Mr. Ouahbi, who has been questioning this practice for years, recalls that Law 80.14 on tourist establishments does not mention the marriage contract as a mandatory document.

The law stipulates that hoteliers must collect the identity data of customers and fill out an accommodation form, but the national identity card is sufficient for these procedures. The law does not mention any other requirement, and tourism professionals cannot substitute for it.

But some hoteliers invoke the fear of prosecution for "incitement to debauchery" if they allow women accompanied by men to book individual rooms. This interpretation of the Penal Code shows that a legal clarification is needed.

Faced with these ambiguities, Lahcen Zelmat, president of the National Federation of the Moroccan Hotel Industry, interviewed by Al3omk, calls for the development of a clear and unambiguous law, in collaboration with the ministries concerned. This law should precisely define the required documents and the obligations of hoteliers in terms of security and respect for the privacy of customers.

For her part, Fatiha Chatatou, a lawyer and human rights activist, insists on the need to put an end to injustices against women, regretting the persistent discrimination in certain laws. She advocates for greater protection of women as individuals in their own right.