Morocco
Business meetings are somewhat formal, although a suit is not necessary in very hot weather. Appointments should be made in advance. Negotiations often involve a great deal of bargaining and a visitor should expect to deal with a number of people. While the official and most important indigenous language is Arabic, French is the language of business. A substantial and growing number of Moroccan entrepreneurs and officials can conduct business in English. Office hours are usually 0830-1200 and 1430-1830 Monday to Friday.
Morocco has a moderately high crime rate in urban areas. Criminals have targeted tourists for assaults, muggings, thefts, pickpocketing, and scams of all types. Commonly reported crimes include falsifying credit-card vouchers, and shipping inferior rugs as a substitute for the rugs purchased by the traveler. There are reports of thefts occurring in the vicinity of ATM machines. Some travelers have been befriended by persons of various nationalities who have offered them food, drink, or cigarettes that are drugged. Harassment of tourists by unemployed Moroccans posing as "guides" is a common problem. Prudent travelers hire only official tour guides through hotels and travel agencies. Traveling alone in the Rif Mountain area is risky, as tourists have been the victims of schemes involving the purchase and/or trafficking of hashish. Unescorted women in any area of Morocco may experience verbal abuse. Thieves sometimes bump cars from behind and rob their victims when they get out of the car to inspect the damage. Visitors are cautioned to travel in groups of two or more and to always carry proper identification. Serious crimes such as armed robbery, hotel room sacking or auto theft rarely occur in Rabat.
Morocco has 100,000 hotel beds to cater for its thriving tourist market. In all sizeable centers there is quite a wide choice. Internationally known hotels in most main towns represent the upper end of the market. Better hotels include: In Casablanca: Casablanca Hyatt Regency, Casablanca Sheraton, Holiday Inn, and the Royal Mansour; In Rabat: Rabat Hilton, La Tour Hassan and the Soundouss Hotel; and in Tangier: the El Minzah.
Rental of apartments and houses in Casablanca is expensive. Depending on size and area, e.g. a two-story 4-bedroom house with a good garden and standard amenities in a very good neighborhood can cost about US 35-40,000 per year. Two-year leases, with rent payable quarterly, are common.
Telephone IDD service is available. The country code is 212 and the outgoing international code is 00. Fax services are available in major hotels. There are telex facilities available in most of Morocco's major hotels. The telephone service is being improved. Mobile cellular phones can be rented in major hotels. Direct dialing to most countries is available, but expensive. The PTT operates a packet switching network "Magrhipac" permitting reasonably fast data transmission to gateways like Tymnet. Morocco connected to the Internet in early 1996.
Electricity is 110-120 volts AC. 50Hz is also common.
127/220 volts AC, 50Hz, depending on age and location of building.
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Morocco’s traditional haute cuisine dishes are excellent and good value for money. They are often exceedingly elaborate, based on a diet of meat and sweet pastries. Hotel restaurants usually serve French cuisine. Restaurants offer a good selection of food, including typical Moroccan dishes, French, Italian or Spanish meals. The three-course fixed menus are not expensive. Many of the souks have stalls selling kebabs (brochettes) often served with a spicy sauce. Most restaurants have waiter service. Bars can have either waiter or counter service. Laws on alcohol are fairly
liberal (for non-Muslim visitors) and bars in most tourist areas stay open late. Wines, beers and spirits are widely available. Locally produced wines, beers and mineral waters are excellent and good value, but imported drinks tend to be expensive.National specialties:
• Harira, a rich soup.
• Pastilla, a pigeon-meat pastry made from dozens of different layers of thick flaky dough.
• Couscous, a dish based on savoury semolina that can be combined with egg, chicken, lamb or vegetables.
• Tajine is a stew, often rich and fragrant, using marinated lamb or chicken.
• Hout is a fish version of the same stew.
• Djaja mahamara is chicken stuffed with almonds, semolina and raisins.
• Also popular are mchoui, pit-roasted mutton.
• Kab-el-ghzal, almond pastries. National drinks:
• Mint tea made with green tea, fresh mint and sugar. It is very refreshing and its consumption is an integral part of Moroccan social courtesy.
• Coffee is made very strong, except at breakfast. Tipping:
Service charges are usually included in hotel bills; it is customary to tip hairdressers, cinema usherettes and waiters MAD1-2.Nightlife
Morocco offers a variety of entertainment from casinos, bars, discos, restaurants and nightclubs, often with belly dancing. There are modern nightclubs in all the cities and resorts around the country. There are casinos in Marrakech, Mohammedia, Tangier and Agadir. Traditional Moroccan entertainment, such as folk dancing, can be seen in every town.
