Tangier Craft Sellers Face Bankruptcy as Tourism Slump Continues

Tough times for the bazaaris. These sellers of craft items whose clientele is mainly made up of foreign tourists no longer know which way to turn. Two months after the deconfinement, the resumption of their activity is still compromised.

Cornered by debts and lacking customers, many are in despair and ready to throw in the towel. Mohammed Bekkouri Alami, president of the Tangier Bazaaris Association, paints a very unflattering picture of the situation. "The situation remains uncertain and poses a real threat of collective bankruptcy for the profession. Most of us do not have the means to pay the rent and electricity bills for our premises. Professionals have chosen not to open their premises in the face of this situation and due to the lack of tourists," he explains. The worst, according to him, is that "Many of us have had to resort to credit to supply themselves with goods for the winter and during the preparations for the resumption. A large part of the purchased items is almost entirely damaged by humidity..."

Faced with such an impasse, the bazaaris of Tangier are trying to make themselves heard, multiplying their requests for support from the authorities. In the opinion of several local professionals, the situation is painful for the bazaaris who, moreover, are among the professions most affected by the crisis related to Covid-19. Worse, Tangier’s continued inclusion in Zone II due to the many cases of Covid-19 contamination makes the situation even more difficult and does not allow the bazaaris to see a glimmer of hope.

Let’s face it, the future is uncertain for the bazaaris in general and those in the city of the strait in particular. They need interlocutors among the representatives of the departments concerned and partner institutions to find a solution to their situation, insists Bekkouri Alami. According to the associative actor, "we will have a hard time getting out of this crisis and resuming our activities normally during the post-pandemic period".