The Potential of Morocco as a Tourist Destination - Essay Example

Tourism in Morocco: How Do Americans View Morocco as a Touristic Destination? Fatima Elmachatt 03/27 Introduction/ Outline Due to its close proximity to Europe and Africa as well as its colorful culture and geography, Morocco enjoys a considerable number of tourists from Europe and other parts of the world. Also, the Moroccan government has been taking aggressive steps to improve its position as a tourist destination. As such, the World Tourism Organization in Tourism Highlights (2011) reports that the percentage of international tourists to Morocco rose by 18.8% between 2008 and 2010 as a result of these aggressive steps taken by the country to market its tourist destinations. Notably, the same trend was visible in the case of Americans too. As Kiesnoski (2008) points out, there was a 30% rise in the number of American tourists to Morocco on an annual basis since 2008 and it seems that America has been hostile to Morocco all along. However, the situation is improving due to a number of reasons. As such, this paper seeks to critically evaluate the perceptions held by the Americans towards this country and the measures that can be implemented by Morocco in order to attract American tourists. How Morocco Is Different From Other Middle Eastern Nations Basically, Morocco is different from the other Middle East nations as a result of different cuisine and traditions. Morocco has the relics of Arab, French, Spanish and Portuguese traditions. As a result of these favorable conditions one can see that the nation is not as calamitous as its Middle East neighbors. Admittedly, Morocco has relatively good relations with the U.S. from the 1950s and the US Government has been working along with the Moroccan authorities to improve the lives of Moroccans. While other nations were turned upside down by citizens calling for revolution, and as the rulers of those nations retorted with military and weapon resulting in mass killings, Morocco witnessed peaceful agitations which are legally allowed and a peaceful referendum from the King offering limited monarchic power. Coskun (2011) posits to the effect that another important point is that unlike other Islamic nations which want to end the rule of monarchs, the majority of the electorate in Morocco expressed total trust in the King. Thus, according to The Financial Times (2011) report, by adopting a constitutional monarchy like that of Spain or the UK, which is politically open and economically liberal, Morocco stands farther ahead of its Arab companions. The Potential of Morocco as a Tourist Destination Morocco always attracted different types of tourists due to its diversity in cultural tourism it offered. Tourists to Morocco get a chance to experience the various languages, cultures, dresses, and lifestyles (Oxford Business Group, 2007). As infoplease.com reveals, Americans have an affinity towards cultural sites and art galleries and museums. Nearly 30% of tourists from America chose such places in 2004 (International destinations of American tourists, 2004). It can also be observed that there are eight UNESCO sites already in Morocco and another 20 sites are already in the consideration of UNESCO. That means traditions and cultures will remain as a matter of attraction in future too (Morocco, n.d). The medinas of Essaouira and Marrakech are also attractive to the tourists. Another important factor that attracts tourists to this country is its fine sandy beaches of Morocco. In other words, the beaches of Morocco are at least as beautiful as those in Europe. Thirdly, the nation also offers deserts, just like Africa. This means that tourists can also enjoy a ride on the back of a camel just like any other destination in the Saharan desert. The country is also comprised of beautiful mountains and colorful streets. Thus, it becomes evident that Morocco has everything as it is a perfect combination of various elements which make it a unique destination (Morocco: Department of Tourism, 2010). However, it can be noted that the number of American tourists has remained low compared to other countries despite the existence of favorable tourist attractions in this country. The Poor Statistics According to the statistics available from the International Trade Administration, Morocco performed poorly on the list of top outbound destinations for Americans. The top destinations were Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, Dominical Republic, France and Italy (Department of Commerce, 2011). In addition, the ITB Berlin & IPK International forecast for the period 2009-2028 predict s a growth of 6% in air travel to Africa. The tourism trends and emerging markets publication from UNWTO reveals that in 2010, 5% of international tourist arrivals took place in Africa. As Jing (2011) opines, Morocco, in near future will not present itself as a potential tourist attraction. Therefore, it is important to assess some of the factors that prevent Americans from visiting Morocco. What Traditionally Held Americans Back? Research has shown that the number of Americans who visited Morocco during the past recent years was much less compared to the number of tourists from other nations. According to statistics (as cited in Clammer, 2009), only 2% of international tourists to Morocco were from America in the year 2004. The very first element is the traditional fear and prejudice towards Islamism that prevails in America; and this fear and disdain were substantiated by the evident anti-Americanism held by many Moroccans (p. 113). Admittedly, anything that looked American was regarded as immediate targets of terrorist attacks in Morocco. This fear and concern is evidenced by the warning in the U.S Department of State website (n.d.) that visitors to Morocco must be aware about the fact that Americans are potential targets for terrorist attacks and abuses of various kinds. Thus, the presence of Salafia Jihadia terrorists has a very negative impact on the American tourists’ attitude towards Morocco. As a result, the Americans viewed travel to Morocco a kind of adventure tourism where one’s life is in real danger and as it involved living among a hostile people. Though Morocco is also known as a country with a highly hospitable culture, the Americans did not enjoy the fruits of such hospitality as it was eclipsed by the element of anti-Americanism. As a result, the place received very few Americans in the past despite being attractive. To illustrate this point, Africa as a whole received only 2% of the American tourists, and for Middle East, the percentage was just 4%. Thus, it becomes evident that all the nations that posed terrorist threat and anti-American ideology were traditionally abandoned by American tourists. The Image of Morocco and Moroccans among Americans-a Look into Media and Literature The mere fact is that despite the best efforts from the part of Moroccan government, a lot more efforts and time will be required to convince Americans that Morocco is a safe place to visit. The 9/11 attacks and the consequent Iraq invasion as well as and the intermittent suicide bombings in many Middle East Countries were more than sufficient to convince Americans that Moroccans were not different from other Islamic nations with anti-American sentiments. To illustrate this point, Veterans Today (2011), a military and foreign affairs journal, urges that tourists should skip Morocco for a variety of reasons. It points out that despite the Moroccan official version that every step is being taken to accommodate European and North American tourists, Americans are likely to face torture inside. In order to substantiate the claim, a plethora of reasons is provided. The first one is the fate of a commercial airlines pilot named James Wilson who had to make an emergency landing in Morocco. He was illegally detained and tortured by Moroccan authorities. As Rose (2010) argues, if that is what happens to a pilot, the fate of a tourist in the hands of Moroccan authorities will be highly uncertain. The issue of prejudice is very evident in the media exploration of Morocco. Admittedly, all the media in the U.S are happy reporting and narrating the way Americans are tortured, or are likely to be tortured in Morocco. Thus, even though a wonderful tourist place, Morocco is the victim of all fears and speculations regarding Islamism, terrorism, monarchy, and lawlessness. It has been reported that the American officials have warned their citizens to be wary of visiting Islamic nations as they can be victims of terrorist attacks which have been on a rise in such countries during the past years. According to Westcott (2002), being an Islamic nation, Morocco could not, and will not, evade the dislike of Americans. This means that all Islamic nations are considered dangerous places as it shown in the study by Carter (n.d). In the study titled ‘Islamic terrorism in Southeast Asia: an effects-based US regional strategy against Jemaah Islamiah and Abu Sayyaf’, it is revealed that a large number of Islamic nations in Asia and Africa are potential hubs of Islamic terrorism and it is necessary to take steps to keep Americans safe from them. A look into the study by Hall and O’Sullivan (1996) proves that the image of a nation in tourist-generating regions is significantly influenced by its political stability and political relations. If that is the case, it is totally understandable that Morocco was destined to be neglected by Americans and other westerners for the lack of concern for their lives exhibited by Moroccan people and Moroccan political leadership. Like other Islamic nations, the Moroccans often display anti-Americanism attitude.The second important point is the role of media as pointed out by Hall and O’Sullivan (1996). The scholars argue that books, magazines, newspapers, satellite and cable links have a substantial influence on the decision whether to visit a country or not (p. 135). Except for a few who are considered eccentric, Morocco is an Islamic nation that possesses strong anti-American sentiments. In order to understand the impact of political instability and media coverage on tourism, one can look into the history of China. As a result of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989, there was a considerable decline in tourism earnings in the same year alone. First of all, the world feared the instability there, and secondly, media showed army tanks aiming at the civilian population. As Neumayer (2004) points out, with these two reasons, tourists feared to enter the nation, and the decline in tourism was calculated at $ 430 million. Another perfect example is Turkey. In Turkey, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, in its effort to create terror, specifically targeted the tourism industry during the period from 1991 to 1996. Thus, many tourist sites and tourist hotels were destructed. Also, there were innumerous kidnappings and killings. As a result, the decline in tourist arrivals was nearly 8%. However, once the nation managed to introduce ceasefire, the tourist arrivals rose again which illustrates that tourists shun destinations with political instability as there is no peace in these areas. Regarding sub-Saharan Africa, one can see that the place often witnesses coups on a regular basis, and in such coups, whites are often the victims of wrath. The Islamic nations too have a similar trend as well. Referring to the above situations, Neumayer (2004) says whether an African nation or an Islamic one, it is not surprising to see that Morocco fails to attract Americans in large numbers. Despite all these political limitations, Morocco is trying to become one of the world’s best tourist destinations in a matter of two decades. So, it becomes necessary to see what things are good for tourism in Morocco and what improvements are being undertaken. A Look into the Image of Morocco as a Tourist Place and the Future Plans of Morocco The study by Abdullah Okumus and Bahar Yasin (as cited in Rachidi etal., 2006), compare the image of Italy, France, and Morocco as a tourist destination. When they conducted interviews among tourists and experts, it became evident that Morocco was considered as lagging behind in various aspects of tourism. In elements such luxury, infrastructure, night life, beauty of cities, reputation, weather, chances of sports activities, use of English, historical importance, chances for relaxation, and hospitality, Morocco scored significantly less than Italy and France (Rachidi et al., 2006). However, in areas like chances for adventure, gastronomic variety, and low cost, Morocco came first. From the discussion, it becomes evident that the attractions offered by Morocco are not sufficient enough to attract people. In addition there are certain things that need to be introduced. There is need to reduce the number of beggars on the streets as well as promoting friendliness, open-mindedness and helpfulness among the Moroccans in order to attract more tourists to this nation. Despite all these limitations, the Moroccan government is introducing aggressive plans to improve its position in the tourism industry. The vision set is to become one of the top twenty tourist destinations in the world by the year 2020. In order to achieve this purpose, the country has identified five main lines of development. They are; enhancing the range of cultural products, continuing to market the seaside resorts aggressively, creating a range of nature tourism products, setting themed corridors, and setting up a potent range of events and guides (Morocco: Department of Tourism, 2010). Factors that offer a ray of hope There are a large number of factors that can help Morocco come out of the quagmire it is in and improve its share of tourism market despite all the negative connotations. According to Savannahs & Sand (2010), the devaluation of the dollar against Euro has resulted in less disposable income among the Americans. As a result of this, it has become necessary for the tight-budgeted Americans to look for such economies that offer maximum value for their money. When this situation arises, Morocco stands to benefit as it can attract many tourists from America by virtue of its variety in attractions at comparatively cheaper rates (p. 422). Visiting Morocco is comparatively cheaper than other European destinations under such circumstances. Secondly, the Moroccan government has liberalized its transportation sector enabling more number of flights to Morocco. This leads to an increased number of tourists. In addition, there are improved travelling facilities in the nation through better road and rail links which make movement from one destination to another faster and more convenient. Also, hotels and other facilities are improved to accommodate Americans and European tourists (Morocco: Thoroughly modern, n.d). However, the most important point from the part of the government is the effort to diversify the attractions. The newly introduced facilities include golfing, windsurfing, skydiving, and mountain adventures. As a result of all these points, an increase in the number of tourists is likely. In addition is the increase in trade between America and Morocco. As the nations signed the Free Trade Agreement, the bilateral trade rose and according to statistics, the bilateral trade in the year 2010 amounted to $ 2.6 million. This number is likely to grow in future (Resort Morocco, 2011). In addition, the Moroccan authorities are eagerly trying to attract foreign investment. In order to do so, the Moroccan government has invited nearly 20 firms including Cisco Systems, Lockheed Martin, FedEx, and general Dynamics IT to invest in the country. In order to ensure that these firms enjoy productive atmosphere in Morocco, the Moroccan authorities are introducing political, economic, social, and legal reforms. If these reforms are effective, they will be reflected in the form of increased number of visitors from America in the coming years. Efforts are also being made to improve the image of the country as a favorable tourist destination. For instance, political reforms can turn around the fortunes of the country. According to Bernard Anne (13 April 2012) in a story entitled ‘Resurgent Beirut offers Haven amid turmoil of Arab Spring’ The New York Times, Lebanon has put concerted efforts to reconstruct the image of the country after the negative impacts of the war which ended in 1990. According to this report, “Lebanon brings together the European, the Mediterranean, East and West.” Beirut is now regarded as a logical destination due to its friendly atmosphere and the same can also happen in Morocco. Known for its violent past, Lebanon is now an eddy of peace and has significantly transformed to become a preferred tourist destination. One aspect that makes Lebanon distinct from other Arab countries is the commitment to political stability by the leaders. Another example can be drawn from Tunisia. According to Sherwood Seth (5 April 2012) in a story entitled Tunisia after the war, it can be seen that tourism often suffers as a result of conflicts. In this particular case, one year after the war, tourists are still sceptical of visiting the place despite the fact that the country if now peaceful. However, the country has the potential to gain its lost glory if concerted efforts are put to market itself to the tourists. The same applies to Morocco. Conclusion Over and above, it can be noted that Morocco is in a much better position than its Middle East counterparts when tourism is considered because of its diverse culture, diverse geography and relatively peaceful and stable political environment. However, being an Islamic nation, Morocco is not able to totally suppress the religious elements. Because of the existing anti-American sentiments and Islamic religious background, Americans generally fear to go to Morocco (Hall & O’Sullivan, 1996). However, the recent years have witnessed a slight change due to better communication and cooperation efforts. References Bernard, A. (13 April 2012) ‘Resurgent Beirut offers Haven amid turmoil of Arab Spring’ The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/world/middleeast/resurgent-beirut-offers-a-haven-in-the-arab-spring.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all Coskun, G. (2011). “Referendum in Morocco: A gate to change?”The Journal of Turkish Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.turkishweekly.net/columnist/3472/referendum-in-morocco-a-gate-to-change.html Carter, M. E. (n.d). “Islamic terrorism in Southeast Asia: An effects-based U.S. regional strategy against Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf.”School of Advanced Military Studies, 1-61. Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA437439 Clammer, P. (2009). Morocco. Australia: Lonely Planet. Department of State: USA. (n.d). “Morocco: Country specific information.”Travel. State. Gov. Retrieved from http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_975.html Department of Commerce: USA. (2011). U.S. travel abroad declined two percent in 2010. International Trade Administration. Retrieved from http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/outreachpages/download_data_table/2010_Outbound_Analysis.pdf The Financial Times. (2011). Morocco’s king tries to cool revolt, Middle East & North Africa. Retrieved from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/55b93f5a-403a-11e0-9140-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1qJCIQ1Rg “International destinations of American tourists.” (2004). Infoplease.2004. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778210.html IPK International. (2009). “ITB world travel trends report 2009/2010.”ITB Library, 1-31. Retrieved from http://www.itb-berlin.de/media/itb/itb_media/itb_pdf/worldttr_2010.pdf Jing. X. (2011). Tourism trends and emerging markets: 5th UNWTO-PATA forum on tourism trends and outlook. UNWTO. Retrieved from http://64.78.36.53/Guilin_Forum/Tourism_Trends_and_Emerging_Markets_by_Xu_Jing.pdf Kiesnoski, K. (2008). “Riding U.S tourist wave, Morocco ups outreach effort.”Travel Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.travelweekly.com/Middle-East-Africa-Travel/Riding-U-S--tourist-wave,-Morocco-ups-outreach-effort/ “Morocco: Thoroughly modern.” (n.d). Special advertising section, 1-19. Retrieved from http://www.forbesspecialsections.com/SectionPDFs/MoroccoThoroughlyModern.pdf Morocco: Department of Tourism. (2010). Vision 2020 for tourism in Morocco: Raise the destination to be in the top twenty of the touristic destinations in the world, Become a model of sustainability in the Mediterranean area. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/24/10/46761560.pdf Michael, H. S.,& O’Sullivan, V. (1996). “Tourism, political instability and violence.” In A. Pizam & Y. Mansfeld (Eds). Tourism, Crime and International Security Issues. New York: John Wiley. Neumayer, E. (2004). The impact of political violence on tourism: Dynamic cross-national estimation, 259-281. Retrieved from http://www2.lse.ac.uk/geographyandenvironment/whoswho/profiles/neumayer/pdf/article%20in%20journal%20of%20conflict%20resolution%20(tourism).pdf Oxford Business Group. (2007). The report: Emerging Morocco 2007. England: Oxford Business Group. Rose, S. (2010). “Tourist urged to skip Morocco.”Veterans Today. Retrieved from http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/04/13/tourists-urged-to-skip-morocco/ Rachidi, F. E., Rai, M., Hassanain, M.,& Nana, S. (2006). Tourism in Morocco: The challenge to attract 10 million foreign visitors by 2010. Retrieved from http://www.aui.ma/old/VPAA/cads/research/cad-research-student-tourism.pdf Resort Morocco. (2011). US-Morocco trade doubles. Retrieved from http://www.resortmorocco.com/Morocco-News/us-morocco-trade-doubles.html Savannahs & Sand. (2010). “Africa and the Middle East.” In M. Mancini (Ed), Selling Destinations: Geography for the Travel Professional. USA: Cengage Learning. Westcott, K. (2002). “Tourism in an uncertain world.”BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2527205.stm Annotated bibliography Bernard, A. (13 April 2012) ‘Resurgent Beirut offers Haven amid turmoil of Arab Spring’ The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/14/world/middleeast/resurgent-beirut-offers-a-haven-in-the-arab-spring.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all The author posits to the effect that if concerted efforts are made to transform the image of a country that experienced instability, its fortunes can be turned around. In this case, Lebanon which used to be known for its violent conflicts is regarded as a safe haven and tourist destination as a result of political reforms that have been implemented. The same can be applied to Morroco. Coskun, G. (2011). “Referendum in Morocco: A gate to change?”The Journal of Turkish Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.turkishweekly.net/columnist/3472/referendum-in-morocco-a-gate-to-change.html Political stability in Morocco is seen as a gateway to political stability in the country. This in turn can also lead to an improvement in the tourism sector given that tourists often shun to visit places that are characterized by political instability. Carter, M. E. (n.d). “Islamic terrorism in Southeast Asia: An effects-based U.S. regional strategy against Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf.”School of Advanced Military Studies, 1-61. Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA437439 The author of this article suggests that terrorism is a threat to growth of the tourism industry. It portrays a negative image about a particular country and this can result in tourists shunning that place. Therefore, there will be need to put efforts in rebuilding the image that has been previously affected by the war. Michael, H. S.,& O’Sullivan, V. (1996). “Tourism, political instability and violence.” In A. Pizam & Y. Mansfeld (Eds). Tourism, Crime and International Security Issues. New York: John Wiley. Conflicts in a country are detrimental to the tourism industry. It can be noted that tourists shun places that are characterized by violence as they would fear for their safety. Measures ought to be put in place to ensure that the lives of the tourists are safe. Sherwood Seth (5 April 2012) ‘Tunisia after the revolution,’ New York Times http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/travel/tunisia-after-the-revolution.html?pagewanted=all It can be noted that tourism is often affected as a result of conflicts. In this particular case, one year after the war, tourists are still not comfortable with visiting the place despite the fact that the country if now peaceful. However, the country can regain its lost glory if concerted efforts are put to portray it in a positive way. Read More