HIBAPRESS – Chafiq Anouri
A Spanish tourist has brought the issue of fraud against tourists in Moroccan cities back to the forefront after sharing her experience on her "TikTok" account.
The tourist, named Alba, explained the real difficulties of traveling to Morocco, adapting to the local culture, and the challenges facing individual visitors in the markets. Alba said in the video that some vendors try to exploit visitors and raise prices when buying souvenirs or taking taxis. She explained in a video she posted an effective five-step bargaining method to avoid paying high prices for simple products. The steps began with inquiring about the price, followed by acting to show shock at the demanded price, then insisting on the buyer's position as a third step. The fourth step involved temporarily leaving to force the seller to make a better offer, and finally, Alba demonstrated success in buying a product that was being asked for 40 euros, for only 14 euros. Alba's experience reveals an aspect of the daily challenges faced by tourists in Morocco, especially in crowded markets and famous tourist areas such as Marrakech. These practices, which tourism enthusiasts classify as "fraudulent", are considered one of the biggest challenges that threaten the sector's image in Morocco. Tourism experts point out that this phenomenon is not limited to an individual or a city, as cases of fraud against tourists are repeated in several Moroccan cities, which was also recorded by the Spanish content creator "YoSoyPlex". "YoSoyPlex", who is one of the most famous Spanish content creators and is followed by more than 14 million on his "YouTube" channel, was exposed to a similar situation while filming a fraud operation in Marrakech, which, according to followers, reflects the continued spread of these practices and confirms the need to enhance control and guidance to limit their effects on Morocco's tourism image.
