Marrakech was full this Aid-Al-Fitr weekend. The observation is from the daily L’Economiste in its edition of Tuesday April 16. “Exceptional excitement is largely explained by the concomitance of Eid festivities and the start of school holidays in France, thus offering an invaluable opportunity to the city’s 230 hotel establishments,” we read. “Added to advertising campaigns, all-out promotions and the desire to travel, the rush of national tourists has succeeded in reproducing the seasonal miracle for Marrakech,” indicates Lahcen Zelmat, vice-president of the Marrakech/Safi regional tourism council cited by the daily. “This prosperous period also benefits traders and artisans in the medina, as well as owners of seasonal rentals such as Airbnb, who are also experiencing strong demand. And even if reservations and sales linked to spring holidays were concluded several weeks ago, last minutes are still required and sometimes represent up to 30% of arrivals,” writes L’Economiste. Marrakech has started the year 2024 with a bang. The city recorded, according to professionals, an increase of 10% in arrivals and 12% in overnight stays compared to the same period in 2023, maintaining its leading position in tourism. It even broke a record in terms of overnight stays with 700,000 tourist nights recorded during the month of January according to a local professional. The outlook for the month of May is just as satisfactory. “The event resumes this month of April with the second edition of Gitex Africa Morocco, placed under the high royal patronage. A major event in the digital field and technological innovation scheduled for May 29 to 31, 2024. This edition promises an increase in power both qualitatively and quantitatively,” we read again. First in terms of space, since the event is spread over 85,000 m2, covering a wide range of sectors, ranging from the cloud to cybersecurity, including health and smart cities. In total, more than 600 meetings are scheduled between startups, investors and companies. The organizers, led by the Digital Development Agency, expect some 50,000 buying visitors, 1,800 exhibitors and 550 ministerial delegations.
