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Morocco – Travel Guide

Facts to assist you while travelling to Morocco

 

Moroccan population

  • The Moroccan population currently stands at 37 million.

 

Capital and Largest City

  • Rabat and Casablanca.

 

Official Language(s)

  • Arabic and Berber.

 

Currency

  • Moroccan dirham.

 

Office Hours

  • 08:00 – 12:30 and 15:00 – 18:30.

 

Weekends

  • Saturday – Sunday.

 

Time Zone

  • UTC.

 

Calling Code

  • +212.

 

Tipping

  • If a service charge is not included in the bill a tip of 10% is acceptable.

 

Embassies

  • Most countries are represented by embassies or consulates located in the capital city.

 

Government

  • Morocco’s political structure is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, whereby the prime minister of Morocco is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The Prime Minister of Morocco is Aziz Akhannouch.

 

Climate

  • Morocco’s climate is moderate and subtropical. The weather is cooled by breezes off the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The climate in the interior is more extreme. Winters can be quite cold while summers are very hot. The further you go from the ocean the more extreme winter and summer temperatures become. Weather along the coastal region is tempered by the Mediterranean in the North and the Atlantic Ocean along Morocco’s Western coast near Casablanca and Essaouira.

 

Transport

  • Morocco’s main airport is Mohammed V International Airport, situated in Casablanca. Morocco has 11 main highways, 11 major airports, and a number of rail links. The main port is the Port of Casablanca.

 

Economy

  • Morocco’s main industries that contribute towards its economy include phosphates, rock mining and processing, high tech, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism, and automobile manufacturing.

 

Hospitality

  • Morocco is known for being a hospitable country, Tourists who visit the country will never forget Moroccans hospitality or neglect to mention it in their travel stories. You can be easily invited to a local’s home after a conversation while exploring or even by taking a taxi, you might be invited by the taxi driver! But be careful to reject the invitation, they might take it as a personal rejection.

 

Greetings

  • When Moroccans see someone they know, it is impolite to merely greet them and keep walking. At the very least they have to stop in order to shake hands. This is thereafter followed up by questions about the other person’s family, children, and health. Hugs are commonly exchanged between same-sex friends, at home, on the street, in restaurants, and in business meetings. Same-sex friends usually walk around holding hands, but couples, even married couples, rarely touch in public. Male/female contact in public is strictly limited to handshaking.

 

Money

  • The Moroccan dirham is the official monetary currency of Morocco. It is issued by the Bank Maghrib, the central bank of Morocco. One Moroccan dirham is subdivided into 100 Santimat.

 

Transportation

  • Regular flights and ferries connect Morocco with Europe and the Middle East. Getting around Morocco using public transport is generally easy. Infrastructure is constantly developing due to continuous investments, so there are rail networks linking the main towns of the north, the coast and Marrakesh, as well as plenty of buses and taxis. You also have the option of taking the high-speed train, which currently has 4 stations: Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat, and Casablanca. Going on a Coach Tour is also a fun way to explore Morocco. These busses trips are conducted by private companies.

 

Safety

  • Morocco is absolutely a safe country to travel to! Morocco is the most political stable country in North-Africa. Morocco’s tourism numbers have been growing by the year and are expected to continue on this trajectory. Growing tourism numbers typically indicate a safe country to travel to. However, this does not mean that crimes do not occur in the country. The most common complaints in Morocco are pushy people, petty theft, and poor treatment of women.

 

Culture

  • The culture of Morocco is a blend of Arab, Amazighs, Jewish, African and Western European cultures. The linguistic landscape of Morocco is complex and beautiful. It generally tends to be horizontally diverse and vertically stratified. The most spoken languages in Morocco is Arabic and Berber. The culture of Morocco is renowned for its literature, which stems from the 8th century with the arrival of Islam, music, art, and mouth-watering cuisine.

 

Shops

  • The most amazing and vibrant shopping experience you will ever have in Morocco will be at the souqs, such as Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souk El Had d’Agadir, or Souk. However, if you are looking for something more modern perhaps visit the beautiful Morocco Mall.

 

To read more exciting blogs, please click on the link below:

Blog

 

Written by Saudika Hendricks

Edited by Eloise Williams

Sisipho Ntsabo
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Third Wave of COVID-19 infections hit Africa

In Africa, there is an alarming third wave as the vaccine rollout is hampered. In recent light of the vaccine rollout in all parts of the world, third world countries vaccine rollout seems to be stagnant, experts fearing that it may take decades to vaccinate their respective countries.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office has reported that the third wave of Covid-19 cases is spreading faster in Africa. On Thursday, 17 June 2021, WHO regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti warned, “With a rapid increase in the number of cases and increasing reports of severe disease, the latest wave threatens to be the worst to date in Africa,”

According to the regional office, for five consecutive weeks, Africa has seen an increase in Covid-19 cases, signaling the beginning of the third wave in Africa. “As of 20 June—day 48 into the new wave—Africa had recorded around 474 000 new cases—a 21% increase compared with the first 48 days of the second wave.” As reported by WHO, the pandemic is resurging in 12 African countries and at the current rate of infections, the ongoing surge is set to surpass the previous one by early July.

18 African countries have already used over 80% of their COVAX vaccine supplies, 29 have administered over 50% of their suppliers, and eight have exhausted their vaccine supply. It is important to be aware that just over 1% of Africa’s population has been fully vaccinated. Globally, 2.7 billion doses have been administered, with just under 1.5% having been administered in Africa.

Dr Moeti is urging the international community to help Africa deal with the Covid-19 vaccine supply as the surge threatens to impair not only Africa’s economy but society.

 

 

Andrew Stegmann
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Relocation Africa Morocco Immigration Interview Courtesy of Dany Glavieux

Quintin Coetzee, our Marketing Assistant, recently interviewed our Immigration Lead, Lynn Mackenzie, about Morocco’s current immigration landscape. Lynn was provided the Moroccan information courtesy of our partner, Dany Glavieux.

To listen to Quintin and Lynn’s conversation about Moroccan immigration in the current context, click here to view the recording, or view it below.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Dany for the immigration insights. We hope you enjoy the recording.

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email info@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].

Andrew Stegmann

Economic Commission for Africa Launches African Women Leadership Fund in Morocco

The Economic Commission for Africa has launched the African Women Leadership Fund in Morocco on the sidelines of the African Regional Forum for Sustainable Development.

In order to strengthen women’s economic empowerment and facilitate the emergence of women fund managers, the fund aims to facilitate the access of African women entrepreneurs and cooperatives to sustainable capital, lower barriers to entry for women asset managers focused on investing in women-owned and women-led businesses.

The fund will also provide technical assistance to accelerate the training and growth of female asset managers.

The Fund was created following a call by the African Women Leadership Network, and has been established by the Economic Commission for Africa under the leadership of the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Chairperson of the African Union, with the support from UN-Women, the Office of the Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security of the African Union Commission and the African Women Leadership Network.

Over the next decade, the Fund aims to invest up to $500 million in businesses run by African women.

The Morocco launch aims to introduce it to Moroccan women, who, like their African counterparts, face daunting financial challenges which impede the sustainability of their businesses, but also to businesses and other players in the national financial ecosystem.

 

For information as to how Relocation Africa can help you with your Mobility, Immigration, Research, Remuneration, and Expat Tax needs, email marketing@relocationafrica.com, or call us on +27 21 763 4240.

Sources: [1], [2]. Image sources: [1], [2].