Carrier linking Montreal with Moroccan city
Should this Air Transat route be dubbed the Marrakesh Express?
Air Transat is now offering direct Montreal-Marrakesh service, a quick way for Quebecers to get to the fabled city that’s synonymous with Morocco’s exotic side and prompted the famed Crosby, Stills & Nash song Marrakesh Express over half a century ago.
The carrier teamed up with the Moroccan Tourist Office on a February fam trip to Marrakesh, showcasing the city as a flagship destination in its network.
The trip hosted travel agencies and tour operators who promote and sell Morocco and participants were able to see Marrakesh’s cultural and tourist sides and participate in a workshop with local operators.
The four-day itinerary featured a guided tour of Marrakesh, lunch at the Amanjena Hotel, a 4×4 trip to the Agafay Desert to visit the White Camel Desert Camp, with a camel ride and an evening under the stars enlivened by a folklore show. Participants also went on a sunrise hot-air balloon ride and took part in a cooking workshop.
“The fam trip strengthened ties with our partners and positioned Marrakesh as a destination of choice for travel enthusiasts seeking escape and authenticity,” said Jhadyd Gonzalez, Air Transat’s national sales manager.
Air Transat is the only airline to offer non-stop service between Montreal and Marrakesh, with two weekly flights.
There is more welcome news recently for Moroccan tourism authorities, with RIU Hotels & Resorts announcing the completion of the refurbishment of the Riu Palace Tikida Agadir, a 5-star beachfront hotel in coastal Agadir. The hotel, which opened in 2011, now has 456 rooms, an improved layout, as well as new food options, brighter common areas and improved entertainment. The refurbishment also saw the redesigning of several leisure and entertainment areas.
RIU and the Tikida Group currently have six hotels in Morocco with 2,271 rooms. Three of the hotels are around Agadir: the Riu Palace Tikida Agadir, the Riu Tikida Dunas and the Riu Tikida Beach. Two others are in Marrakesh – the Riu Tikida Palmeraie and the Riu Tikida Garden – and one is in Taghazout, the Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout.
Meanwhile, Casablanca-based tour company Yadi Travel is eager to showcase Moroccan cuisine to visitors.
The company’s Kamil Benjelloun told a recent webinar that the North African country provides a “feast for the senses. When you come to Morocco, try not to be on a diet. To truly experience Morocco, one must taste it.”
Moroccan food, naturally, has Arab influences but was also shaped by the Berber people of North Africa and those from the southern Spain region of Andalucia, he said.
Yadi Travel has a host of experiences that revolve around Moroccan cooking and can be found in different parts of the country, including Casablanca and Marrakesh. Those experiences include a cooking workshop in a local home in the community of Chefchaouen; learning to make Moroccan bread in Fes; experiencing Saharan cuisine in Khamlia while local musicians perform; and lunch and wine tastings in different vineyards, with Benjelloun reporting Moroccan has a vibrant wine industry that often fails to get much attention internationally.
Other options include a Marrakech dinner and a show that includes belly dancing and live music, and those visiting Marrakech can also opt for a visit to Selman Stables, where Benjelloun reported they can have dinner “surrounded by the beauty of Arabian thoroughbreds.”
A street food tasting tour is also available in Marrakesh that takes participants into local alleys and markets, with Benjelloun reporting that those who go on the tours can learn about Moroccan spices that give the country’s dishes their distinctive flavours.
Another culinary attraction in Morocco is Rick’s Cafe, found in Casablanca, and which recalls the famed Humphrey Bogart movie.
