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I was recently invited to MTM, which stands for Moroccan
Travel Market. This first-ever international tourism exhibition
took place, not in Rabat the capital as one might expect,
but in Marrakech, currently the country's No. 1 destination
for domestic and foreign visitors. Its objective - to help
boost visitors to Morocco to 10 million a year by 2010.
MTM, although new, succeeded in bringing together over 200
exhibitors - travel operators, hotels, tourist organizations,
banks and other investors - from all over Morocco, plus stand-holders
from other North African countries like Tunisia; Cameroon
and Senegal; Spain, the Middle East, India and as far afield
as Madagascar.
The venue was a purpose-built village of white marquees on
open ground covering 12,000 square metres, strategically placed
between the Old City and the New. Just under 7,000 attendees
from many countries mingled with Moroccan travel trade professionals,
all welcomed by lines of dancing and singing tribesmen and
women from various parts of Morocco.
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Marrakech has mushroomed since I was last there in the early
80s. Then it felt like a frontier town: a staging post between
North African urban living and the vast unknown beyond, with
the Atlas mountains to the East... and to the South, what
looked and felt like a desert nothingness that would continue
until you reach "the other side", and West African
countries like Mauritania, Mali, and Niger. Back then Marrakech
had no new suburbs, just the Medina or old city.
And the centre of the Medina, then as now, is the Djemaa
El Fna, supposedly the largest square in Africa. During the
day you'll see orange juice stalls, water sellers in colourful
costumes, and snake charmers. In the evening, the square fills
with dozens of food-stalls (right), and locals and tourists
crowd in for an al fresco supper. My favourite - superb fish
and chips from an unassuming little stall in the centre.
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But Marrakech today is far more than strolling musicians,
snake charmers and water-sellers.
The Guéliz district to the west of the Medina is
the New Town, with its broad avenues, modern hotels, tall
office and apartment blocks, smart boulevard cafés,
and nightclubs offering sophisticated entertainment like
the "Folies de Marrakech" (left), the brainchild
of Claude Thomas who has gathered and tutored local youngsters
and turned them into professional performers.
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And the driving force and principal sponsor of MTM itelf
is Karim Rahal (right), the dynamic president of the Rahal
Group, Morocco's premier catering service, whose clients include
the King, HM Mohammed VI. At one of several excellent gala
nights, way outside Marrakech in gleaming new facilities,
Rahal hosted a dinner and entertainment evening for well over
a thousand, which metamorphosed into an enormous birthday
party (he turned 51 during the MTM), with him reluctantly
but competently singing a Moroccan song, and dancing on stage.
But this man has his serious side. He has an MSc in telecommunications
and, reading up on the company on the plane coming home, I
was amazed to discover how the Rahal Group has, for example,
catered to presidents and royalty in several countries, including
organizing a top-notch bash in the Sahara that involved helicopters,
countless trucks, chefs, waiters, marquee erectors, and even
drilling equipment to bore a well-hole and provide the event
with its own supply of pure drinking water!
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During the Market, I met Adrian Croft on the
Banyan Tree/Angsana stand, and stayed a night at one of
their riads in the Old City - a recent development in Marrakech
accommodations.
Formerly private homes, these are now small,
quiet, exquisitely furnished boutique hotels tucked away
down tiny alleyways in the Medina, with usually no more
than a handful of rooms off a traditonal courtyard with
its own pool (left).
Especially suitable for honeymoons or exotic
but tranquil three-day getaways, a riad stay buys you beautiful
surroundings and superb service. See their selection of
Marrakech properties here
or visit their main website at www.angsana.com.
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Back at the MTM, the lady on the left was on the Essaouira
stand, demonstrating the painstakingly slow but centuries-old
way of making argan oil. The argan tree is almost unique
to South-West Morocco, and its fruit contain a stone which
itself contains seeds.
Having gently roasted the seeds in the frying pan, here
she is grinding them to a paste, with a little water, in
what is effectively a small stone mill. Her home town Essaouira
is a whitewashed place on the Atlantic coast, a three-hour
bus ride due west of Marrakech.
After the heady bustle and noise of the city, old and new,
a couple of days by the seaside seemed like a refreshing
change. So Mrs S. and I hopped on a bus and made our way
to the sea. And what a treat it was.
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Essaouira is a knock-out place, and this is not an exaggeration.
It's an outstanding seaside resort. A fortified town from
the late 1700s, originally called Mogador, it's wonderfully
relaxed and relaxing. Walled and peaceful, it is virtually
bereft of traffic: the only four-wheeled vehicle I saw was
a slow-moving police car. Everybody walks.
There are views of the sea over the rocks; a harbour and
busy fishing port; miles of sandy beaches to its south;
Spanish cannons on the sea walls; a delightful square with
cafés; loads of little hotels, and plenty of places
to eat. We checked in at the Hotel Souiri on rue Al-Attarine.
As I'd made her take the bumpy but cheaper bus from Marrakech,
I felt sorry for Mrs. S. (left, in the square) and let her
pick our room. To get her own back, she chose the most expensive.
It was £15.00 a night for two, including breakfast.
We stayed for two nights but could have happily stayed there
for a week. We plumped for a side room with no view but
it was quiet than rooms over the main street. And the hotel
is less than ten minutes walk from virtually anywhere in
town.
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