The Location

Located in the northeastern part of Morocco, Tetouan, also known as Tangiers, is the only part of Morocco located along the Mediterranean Sea. Situated in an unrivalled position with a dramatic backdrop from the Riff Mountains to the south and west, Tetouan is protected from the desert areas.

The local marina, Marina Smir, opened in 1991 providing first class facilities typical of a Mediterranean port. Tetouan also houses the renowned Cabo Negro Royal Golf course. The 18 hole course has been designed to English standards and features 9 holes along the coastline and a further 9 holes towards the back of the course opening into full view of the Riff Mountains.

The Rif Mountains hide Roman ruins of immense scale and majesty, a thermal spa, Moulay Yacou, and Chefchaouen, a village of perfect tranquility. The blue painted city in the wide valley of the Riff Mountains offers a fabulous and chilling environment. The Medina, or the old city, is listed as a UNESCO heritage sites, and is considered one of the best of its kind in Morocco. The Medina provides an ideal place to shop while in the North of Morocco.

Climate

Due to the Mediterranean location of the Tetouan area of North Morocco, the climate is very similar to other Mediterranean regions. With moderate rainfall during the winter months, the coastal regions are suitable for agriculture. The more extreme temperatures associated with Morocco are normally found in the interior regions.

Population & Culture

The population of Morocco is close to 34.5 million, with a 1.5% annual growth rate. The population of the country is quite young, with over 30% aged below 14 years of age.
The Arab-Berber ethnic group accounts for over 99% of the Moroccan population, with Arabic the official language, along with Berber dialects and French used for business and government purposes. The main religious group of morocco is Muslim, accounting for over 98%, followed by Christians and Jewish.
The political and economic liberation of Morocco entered into a new era with the ascension of King Mohammed VI in 1999. The country has developed independence and stability within the government and the international relations, bringing strength to the country and modernising its future.

Tourism

Moroccan government developed the “Vision 2010” for tourism, an ambitious strategy aiming to attract 10 million tourists to Morocco by the year 2010. The plan has been developed to assist with the creation of an estimated 60,000 new jobs. The Vision 2010 project is a part of the “Plan Azur” project, focusing on large-scale development projects. The highest visitor numbers to Morocco are from the European nations with the highest numbers by French tourists, followed by Spanish, Belgians and the British.

Tourism in Morocco has been growing steadily over recent years with an approximate 12% growth annually, keeping in line with the Vision 2010 plans. Marrakech continues to remain the most popular touristic destination, with Casablanca following close behind and Tetouan growing in popularity by approximately 9% annually.

The growing numbers of flight connections and budget airlines between Morocco and major European cities has assisted with the increasing growth in tourism popularity.

How to get to Morocco

Morocco is becoming increasingly easier to reach for tourism purposes and over recent years has received growing interest from neighbouring European visitors. The ease of access from increased flight numbers and routes opening by budget airlines has assisted in making Morocco a popular holiday destination.

Along with the construction of a large port for cargo being constructed between Tangiers and Tetouan, improved road links are being built in the surrounding areas to enable the port to act as a main gateway to the rest of Africa. The new motorways will enable improved connections between coastal areas and the construction of a train link between Tangiers and Marrakesh will greatly improve access across the country.

Airlines

The main airline servicing Morocco is the Royal Air Moroc (RAM) who was until recently the only airline offering distinctive routes into certain cities. This has changed in recent years with companies such as British Airways now offering similar routes at competitive prices. RAM has since launched a budget airline, Atlas Blue, offering discounted fares to major European cities, enabling visitors to access Morocco more conveniently and at cheaper prices than ever before.

Other airlines such as Monarch, Easyjet and RyanAir are also now offering discounted flights to cities such as Tetouan, with new routes opening often to meet the increasing demands of Morocco’s growing tourism market.