The event : 24 hours in Marrakech
Nearly a forty guests - journalists and, above all, travel industry decision-makers - were invited to Marrakech on 9 November at the initiative of theONMT (Moroccan National Tourist Office) and the SETO (Syndicat des Entreprises du Tour Operating). Two months to the day after the earthquakeThe main aim of these "24 hours of solidarity" with the destination was to turn the page on an episode whose images relayed on the French market may have been considered disproportionate to the reality experienced by Marrakchis. " When there's an event like this, there's nothing you can do: there are images... The people who are there stay, those who really intended to go go, and for those who intended to book, it's more difficult. The aim of this operation was to put the spotlight back on Marrakech as a destination, where everything's going well, in order to preserve the Christmas and February holidays. "says René-Marc Chikli, Chairman of SETO.
Once we were there, it was clear that the destination and its people had indeed demonstrated a very high level of quality. resilience exemplary. " The morning after the earthquake, my employees were at their posts first thing in the morning, freshly shaven and ready to go back to work straight away. "says the admiring French manager of one of the restaurants. Repairs and consolidations were quickly initiated to enable Marrakech to move forward again in just a few weeks. And the flow of travellers has accompanied this return to normality. " The figures fell in the first week, then rose again as we went along, and we were back on track after a month. Today the destination is doing well, and the hotels are full. "says René-Marc Chikli. The Chairman of SETO also anticipates that " the three-week decline will be recouped in a few months' time without any worries at all ".
The message sent out by the ONMT and SETO is therefore clear: the aim is to reassure tourists and professionals alike. Marrakech is more open than ever to thehosting travellers and major events. In fact, the destination has not waited for this initiative in the French market to reopen up to the world, even on a large scale. As early as October the World Bank and the IMF held their annual conference in Marrakech. Visit 14,000 participants who converged on the Ochre City, a city back on the MICE scene, resolutely looking to the international stage as well as to the future.
The destination: Marrakech squares...
Wandering through the narrow streets of the medina, it's easy to think that this setting of adventure film is now frozen, like an open-air museum. The old town has nothing against a little renewal, especially if it blends harmoniously with the local architecture, enhances historic buildings and adds to the destination's cultural or gastronomic catalogue. As a symbol, the place Jemaâ el-Fna is still capable of reinventing itself. A case in point is the inauguration of a superb Museum of Intangible Heritage last February.
Housed in the former State Bank of Morocco, built in 1922, this newcomer to the Marrakech cultural scene dominates the famous esplanade. Its terraces, which can be made private for business customersIn fact, many of its rooms offer an uninterrupted view of Jemaâ el-Fna. And its collection pays an aesthetic and polyphonic tribute to this colourful crossroads, and to the men and women who, for centuries, have turned it into such an open-air theatre. In addition to showcasing the square's influence on art (photography, painting, cinema, theatre, etc.) and a numismatic section, the Museum of Intangible Heritage pays a vibrant tribute to the characters of Jemaâ el-Fna: storytellers, poets, snake charmers, Berber musicians, Gnaouis dancers, sintir players, etc.
" Jamaâ El-Fna, the Museum of Intangible Heritage, is designed as an extension of this beating heart of Marrakech. It will enhance the range of museums on offer in the ochre city and help to safeguard and disseminate its ancestral and universal heritage, an integral part of our collective memory. "These are the words of the site managers. It's an ideal first step to familiarising yourself with the destination through its iconic agora, while at the same time giving meaning to your event by setting it in the heart of the city. the meeting point par excellence.
Another novelty, another atmosphere, and another 'place', Meydene will celebrate its second anniversary in December. The new centre embodies the cultural ambitions of the M Avenue projectMeydene, a vast hub of activity and attraction that brings together shops, restaurants, an MTech incubator, an MBusiness centre, accommodation solutions and even a cosmetic surgery clinic. At the heart of this ultra-modern, multi-purpose complex, Meydene advocates the "perfect marriage of Art and Technology", with a number of features including a "An immersive and interactive "journey in the culture, lifestyle and spirit of the people of Marrakech.
It's another great place to hold an event that's firmly rooted in the destination, especially as Meydene is equipped with a amphitheatre with a capacity of 402 seats and can rely on the tasty restaurant Douara rooftop restaurant. Those in charge of the site also intend to get involved in the art of entertaining: a training school dedicated to hospitality is to support the destination's move upmarket in the tourism and MICE market, and the management is even dreaming of a "M Avenue signature which would become a guarantee of quality.
... and the medina gardens
Far from this modern backdrop, the winding streets of the medina are also capable of reinventing themselves, sublimating the historic heritage through new projects, sometimes hidden behind the facades of the old town. The aptly named Marrakech's secret garden was initially intended as a hotel project. The historical importance of the site - confirmed by archaeologists, who date the origins of the complex to the time of the Saadian dynasty, four centuries ago - convinced the investors to rethink their plans. And it's a success, with an exotic garden featuring plants from all over the world, and an Islamic garden embodying a metaphorical description of paradise. All to the sound of rustling water and birdsong...". In Marrakech, we don't really need hotels or guest houses any more, we need projects to promote and enrich our culture. "says the site manager. From 2016four years after restoration of the site began, the Secret garden is therefore open to the local population and tourists during the day. But this unique space can also be privatised the time of a eventon request, after closing. The seated format can bring together around a hundred people, and the total capacity can be tripled.
Surprising guests with the contrast between the hustle and bustle of the medina and the calm of a majestic oasis, between the urban surroundings and a plant and mineral setting: this is also the winning challenge of the Lotus Garden. And here too, the place claims a degree of confidentiality that accentuates its exclusive character. "The Secret is the name given to the site's home, a (very) upmarket space designed by artist Kris Ruhs, exclusively for the events business for ten years now. The house, built in 1991 in place of around twenty riads, covers an area of 2,500 m², with 800 m² of terraces.
The main area is set around the swimming pool, and there is also a library and dining room. The capacity is 150 people. " But the house lends itself more to cocktail-dinner or lunchtime events, allowing people to move between the different areas. "says Khalil El Ghairi, Director of the Jardin du Lotus. The organisers can therefore count on an event attended by up to 300 guests. COP22 is one of the signatories of a visitors' book that could well be filled with prestigious events over the next few years...
The activity: Morocco from the sky
Well-known to French MICE professionals, Marrakech did not, however, reveal all its secrets, offering participants an unexpected experience. An original activity if ever there was one, the hot-air balloon flight can easily accommodate a group of thirty or more guests in 15- or 20-seater gondolas. The slight time 'constraint', imposed both by technical temperature requirements and the proximity of the airport, makes the experience all the more attractive. Meeting before 6am, after a 40-minute journey from Marrakech, participants are invited to admire the sunrise from the basket. Not without first experiencing Moroccan hospitality over a hearty breakfast served in a traditional tent. All this while admiring the spectacle of the flames in the middle of the dawn, and the colourful canvases that gradually swell before taking to the skies. Even participants prone to vertigo can enjoy this timeless interlude, with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and the other hot-air balloons in the Moroccan sky.
