The Association of Merchants and Exporters of Handicraft Products of Marrakech has lost its temper to denounce what it qualifies as the "Tourism Mafia" in the Ochre City and to express its fed-up attitude in the face of the unfair practices that certain bazaar merchants engage in in collusion with unscrupulous guides and tour operators. The Association lists a litany of prejudices that the bazaar merchants of the Jamaâ El-Fna square are subjected to on a daily basis by guides and touts in the pay of bazaars known to all in the city for these illegal activities. The protesters, who say they are living through difficult times and are no longer able to sell their products, are indignant at the practices imposed by these guides, which consist of steering tourists towards the shops and boutiques of their sponsors in exchange for commissions. In this context, they cry out against the harmful consequences of these practices, firmly denounce the passivity of the authorities and the concerned bodies, and affirm that their ordeal has lasted too long. "One can only deplore the critical situation in which the bazaar merchants of the Jamaâ El-Fna square are vegetating, a large number of whom are living in alarming conditions because of the absence of tourists," underlines a bazaar merchant with bitterness. Besides the "All inclusive" formula that has invaded most hotel units, tourists are directed solely, in exchange for commissions, towards three or four bazaars in the city, he notes. The worst part, continues our interlocutor, is that there are tour operators and receptive travel agencies that are also involved in this deception, making it known in this regard that these T.O.s and travel agencies receive advances ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 DH from these bazaars before the start of each tourist season. "It is high time for the authorities to react in order to put an end to the prejudice endured by the bazaar merchants of the Jamaâ El-Fna square who continue to suffer martyrdom. An energetic and serious intervention should be initiated as soon as possible with a view to defending the legitimate interests of the bazaar merchants who are victims of such a deception," he insists. While waiting for a solution to be found by the public authorities, the bazaars are running at a slow pace.

Bazaar merchants are suffering the full brunt of competition. The majority of products are handmade by Moroccan artisans. The raw material and the time invested mean that these artisanal products are very often more expensive than industrial products. Competition is also detrimental to this local trade. Other countries like China, Turkey, and Spain offer products at more accessible prices. This is why bazaar merchants are now turning towards the Moroccan clientele. Fortunately, Moroccans have a growing interest in their handicrafts and are aware of the problems encountered by this sector of activity.