In an article entitled: “Villagers welcome travelers as usual: in Morocco, one year after the earthquake, the resilience of tourism”, Le Figaro reports the testimonies of professionals in the sector who highlight the boom that the province is experiencing after the ordeal of the earthquake of September 8, 2023.
The newspaper quotes Jean-Pierre Champert, founder of the Sport Travel agency, a specialist in hiking in Morocco, who says that the villagers are happy to see the travelers return.
“We have chosen to resume our tours as soon as possible, including in areas still affected by the earthquake, while informing travelers,” he says, adding that in the Ijoukak or Amizmiz region, “under their huts, the villagers welcome travelers as usual. There is real resilience. They are happy to see tourists return, it gives them an additional reason to rebuild.”
For his part, Alexandre Leymarie, general manager of the Beldi Country Club (Marrakech and High Atlas) believes that “the earthquake has helped to strengthen the reputation of a country known for its hospitality and generosity.”
In Marrakech, he testified, “travelers understood very quickly that the city had not been affected. Once the first moments of stupor, sadness and mourning had passed, activity quickly resumed”, praising the “exceptional speed” demonstrated by the Moroccan authorities in setting up systems “to help hotels carry out the necessary work”.
At Kasbah Beldi, one of its establishments located in the Amizmiz region, particularly affected by the earthquake, “we saw trucks loaded with mattresses and tents pass by every day for a month in a remarkable surge of solidarity. This helped to strengthen the image of a Morocco that is moving, that faces adversity, and to strengthen the reputation of a country known for its hospitality and generosity,” he added.
Samuel Roure, president of MGH, the association of guest houses in Marrakech and the south, expects an “excellent” 2024/2025 season after historic records in 2023/2024.
For him, the general assembly of the IMF and the World Bank, which was held just after the earthquake, “gave exceptional visibility to Marrakech. The African Cup of Nations (CAN) in 2026 and the Football World Cup in 2030 should increase its effects tenfold.”
Le Figaro cites a final testimony from Kenza Fenjiro, associate director of Domaine La Roseraie in Ouirgane, who notes that her estate perched in the High Atlas has very quickly found travelers again.
“When you travel to an area under reconstruction, the human warmth is there. When you are welcomed into a family that has lost everything and shares tanourt bread and tea, that is the real richness of travel, the High Atlas is still magnificent!”, rejoices this tourism professional.
2024-09-08 11:13:48