Tangier’s Handicraft Sellers Face Steep Losses as Tourism Plummets

The lifting of the lockdown had hinted at a glimmer of hope for the resumption of activities. But the resurgence of contamination cases has led to a tightening of measures. Some cities, including Tangier, have been isolated to contain the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, besieged by visitors, residents or not, the old Medina of Tangier seems to have already seen its heyday. The mad world that rushes to snatch up items as souvenirs has given way to desolation, reports Al Bayane.

The merchants are stunned by an extraordinary crisis. In the columns of Al Bayane, many fear that this crisis will sound the death knell of an otherwise interesting activity. "This is the time of year when we make the biggest share of our annual turnover. But the summer of 2020 will go down in history as the year of famine," explains Aimane, a young bazarist. He indicates that not only are tourists absent, but Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) have also come in very small numbers.

Having recorded an increase in the number of confirmed cases in recent weeks, Tangier remains a destination avoided by many tourists. In addition to the slump in sales, some have to deal with the deterioration of some of their products due to the prolonged closure of shops and businesses. This is the case of Fahd, a bazaar manager specializing in the sale of leather. "We are doubly affected. On the one hand, we have not made any cash inflows and even less profit for more than 5 months now, but in addition to that, we have lost part of our leather, the raw material of choice with which we produce high-quality jackets," he confides.

According to his testimony, the losses vary from one bazarist to another. He claims to have suffered 30,000 dirhams in losses, while others estimate to have lost more than 100,000 dirhams. They hope that the government will be able to compensate them and allow them to offset the enormous losses, the same source specifies.