Morocco is situated in the northwest of the African continent. The border countries are Algeria, the Mauritania, the south point(headland) of Spain is in some km of the Moroccan coast. Its geographical situation, its fascinating landscapes, its historical and cultural heritage makes of Morocco a perfect tourist destination.
The Moroccan landscape is full of contrasts: from north to south a surprising variety, natural resources which confers a charm..

Moroccan ID card:

its geographical situation, its fascinating landscapes, its historical and cultural heritage make of Morocco a perfect tourist destination.

- population: 30 000 000 hab.

- surface: 710 850 km2 (among which 260 000 for the Western Sahara).

- capital: Rabat (630 000 hab.).

- languages: Arabic and Berber; French speaks to itself still usually, Spanish in the North of the country.

- exchange: the dirham ( Dh).

- Regime: constitutional monarchy.

- head of state: king Mohammed VI

- Main activities economic: tourism, fishing, ore, agriculture. .

Circuit:

that you are an amateur of old stones and traditions, hikes(rides) "nature" or holidays in the beach, Morocco offers numerous possibilities of stays and circuits. To choose naturally according to his(her,its) tastes and of available time(weather).

Famous for its imperial cities, Morocco can confide from Fes, the cultural and spiritual heart of the country. Leave then for Meknès, his old ramparts and his palaces.than Then join the coast to visit Rabat and Casablanca, respectively major administrative and economic of the country. Before spining more to the South on Marrakesh, the city oasis at feet of the mountains of the Atlas.

From Marrakech and from Ouarzazate, a circuit mixing hikes and there 4X4 can envisage in the various valleys of the Atlas. With on the roads of the valley of Ziz, a bend by the massif of M' Goun, the gorges(breasts) of Dades and Todra.

 For the lovers of the sea and the beaches, why not to envisage a long descent on the Atlantic coast, since Tangier in the North, until distant Dakhla, in border of Sahara.

Unless preferring the coast the Mediterranean Sea which offers so many small quiet creeks between Tangier and Al-Hoceima. .

Tourism in Morocco: 10 million tourists in 2010

The objectives of the contract schedule foresee the arrival of 10 million international tourists and a hotel capacity of 230.000 beds before 2010 The sector of the tourism is called to play a driving role in the development of the country. The contract schedules established a real strategy of promotion of the sector which foresees on the horizon 2010, the constitution of a hotel facilities of 230.000 beds and the reception of 10 million tourists instead of 2 millions today. This strategy would articulate around the following 4 major axes:

- restore the competitiveness of the Product Morocco ( commercial dynamics),

- Restore the tourist return on investment in Morocco ( industrial dynamics),

- direct the savings to the sector of the tourism ( financial dynamics),

- establish a high authority of the tourism ( political dynamics).

To position Morocco as a major destination for the European .The main objective is to position the destination Morocco among twenty world tourist destinations. For the federation of the tourism, it is necessary to elaborate for the European market, one of the most competitive mix-customers of the Mediterranean circumference.

Jet lag :

Morocco follows the hour GMT

compared to Paris, Brussels or Geneva, Morocco is in: less 2 summer-time, less 1 hour in winter

- Schedules of the banks and trade:

- Administrations: opening of 8:30 to 15:30, system of continuous schedule. (closed Saturday and Sunday)

- Banks: opening of the Monday to Thursday (see Friday) 08:30 at 15:45. Variations can intervene according to the seasons.

- Stores: opening in general of 9:00 to 12:30 and 15:30 to 20:00 of the Monday to Saturday. Apart from the open tourist stores every days, the others close Sunday, like sometimes Friday or saturdays. The stores of the medina are often closed Friday (day of the great prayer).

During the Ramadan, the schedules of opening are more variable (in general of 9:00 to 14:00).

 

Post - Mail:

The post offices (postal and telecommunications authorities) are open 8:30 to 18:30 for most important. The others close between 12:00 and 12:30 and 14:30 and 15:00

The post services functions well. One can buy stamps in the tobacconist's shops or reception of certain hotels.

The electric current is of 220V. One can find 110V in the old buildings. The catches are of the same type as in France.

Telephone and GSM:

The public cabins with chart, and more and more of teleboutiques make it possible to call by telephone locally or abroad.

Mobile telephone networks (GSM) are of very good quality (proposed by Méditel and Maroc Telecom).

- Calls locally: Number with 9 digits, 3 first being the telephone code of the zone.

- Calls of France towards Morocco: 00 + 212 (code of the country) + indicative of the city without 0 + number of the correspondent

- Calls of Morocco towards France: 00 + 33 (code of the country) + number of the correspondent with 9 digits; one does not compose the 0 who precedes the number

- Calls of Morocco towards other countries: Belgium = 00+32, Switzerland = 00+41, Canada = 00+1.

 

Internet:

One finds cybercafes in the localities of all sizes.

The Internet high banc (ADSL) is available to Morocco in the main cities (access providers: Wanadoo and Menara).

 

Press and media:

The foreign daily newspapers in French language are available with 1 day of shift, in many newsstands of the big cities. French local newspapers (the Morning of the Sahara…) are also published in Morocco.

Satellite television makes it possible to be connected to the international chains.

 

Purchases:

* In the secrecy of the souks

Present in the middle of all the Moroccan cities, the souks gather trade and craftsmen of all kinds: cobblers and jewellers, apothecaries and leather dealers, salesmen of carpet and fabrics, potters and tisserands. They are very often installed in distinct but close districts, following in that the ancestral traditions and the local practice. From where an interlacing of streets which gives to the souk its air of maze. If each city has its large market, certain souks like those in Marrakech, Fès or Meknès became legendary. To miss under no pretext.

Essential component of traditional town planning, the souk is explored as much as it is visited. Protected from the sun by panels of braided reeds, it is good to traverse the narrow and animated lanes of a ceaseless activity. Here the machines remained simple. Carpet, potteries, articles of leather or jewels: the same sure gestures and precis guide the Moroccan craftsmen since generations.

As everywhere in the East, the bargaining belongs to the traditions. A subtle exercise which mixes social relation, play and comedy. Accept the mint tea which to you will be served, made the turn of the exposed goods, and dissimulate your interest if you like an object. All the pleasure of the bargaining comes indeed from this time spent in the freshness of the shop. Discussions around the carpets or jewel coveted of course. But also of the country, the voyage and the life. Regulate of gold absolute: take your time!

Economic factors:

The Morrocans have a weak average purchasing power compared to that of Europeans, but that progresses, in particular for the highest classes.

 

The standard of living in Morocco

In general, the prices are very low in Morocco, except for the products of importation which remain more expensive. The wages are low compared with ours and the work conditions are not always acceptable.

The infrastructures are rather of good quality, but the effectiveness of the bureaucracy is quite relative.

 

Economy

All economy of Morocco east in strong progression. The independent factors which generated this boom of the Moroccan economy are: the production of manufactured goods with the hand at low prices thanks to the low costs by work, the qualified labor, more and more people receive a higher education, the Moroccans speak several languages.

Compared to the international statistics, the economy of Morocco is always weak, but the disparity of incomes between the social classes are one of the primary reasons of this bad classification. Indeed, in Morocco, the poor are very poor and the very rich person.

Since the advent of the king Mohammed VI, the many reforms and initiatives largely contributed to the economic revival of Morocco. For example, the treaty of free trade with the United States or the privatization of the company of telecommunication and a state bank made it possible to arise a positive economic.

However, the resources of the government are rather reduced, reducing, by translation, the effectiveness of the marketing activity and the international business.

The next economic challenge of Morocco relates to the relations with Europe. Moreover, the country must progress in its level of education and the standard of living.