Morocco’s Tourism Dilemma: Foreign Visitors Favored Over Locals in Hotels

The complaints of some Moroccan citizens regarding the preference given to foreign tourists over local customers in tourist establishments can sometimes reflect isolated cases, but nevertheless remain an indicator of a dysfunction in the management of the relationship with Moroccans, analyzes Zoubir Bouhout, an expert in the tourism sector at Hespress. According to him, the complaints can reflect deeper problems related to the current economic model, as well as the weakness of the tourist offer intended for the domestic market compared to the increase in demand. He believes that the feeling of discrimination can be the result of economic and structural factors influencing the nature of the services offered, and not necessarily a desire for exclusion.

Bouhout cites in particular the difference in price between what is offered to the foreign tourist and what is offered to the Moroccan tourist. To support his argument, he explains that "the foreign tourist often comes through international travel agencies that negotiate group rates with hotels and book thousands of tourist nights per year, which gives them the ability to impose preferential prices." He adds that, on the other hand, "the Moroccan tourist often relies on individual and last-minute bookings, which leads him to bear a higher cost that may appear to be a form of discrimination." He also wanted to remind that "hotel establishments are accustomed, throughout the year, to dealing with foreign clients of different nationalities, which consolidates a certain service model in them, especially since these clients come with a different consumption culture and a higher purchasing power."

Furthermore, "the employee who notes that the foreign tourist spends more and generously gives tips may prefer to treat him to the detriment of the Moroccan client, who sometimes feels underestimated," continued the tourism sector expert, while emphasizing "the importance of developing and enhancing domestic tourism." He calls on the sector’s players to implement a new vision for dealing with the Moroccan tourist, based on advance booking, prior planning and the provision of adapted offers. His wish is that the Moroccan citizen be considered as a permanent and essential customer, and not as a solution in times of crisis, as was the case during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abdelilah Oufares, manager of a hotel unit in Marrakech, confirms: "discrimination in tourism services does indeed exist in some cases, and it is linked to old conceptions that may now be outdated after the official bet of the State on domestic tourism." Fortunately, "the true professional units do not make a distinction between the Moroccan and the foreign client, because the fundamental principle is to respect the guest, regardless of his nationality or purchasing power." For him, "what is required today is to give a good image of Moroccan tourism, both internally and externally, in order to consolidate a culture of good reception and good conduct, especially since domestic tourism has become an essential pillar."

Oufares also explains that these practices that some continue to exercise are detrimental to the sector, and that it is urgent to put an end to them, in order to preserve the credibility of the national offer.