Rabat - Despite being traditionally seen as a welcoming country for foreign tourists, some observers see Morocco as an unfriendly destination for women.
Morocco ranked eighth out of ten holiday destinations that may pose risks for women, published recently by the British newspaper the Daily Mail.
Based on the testimonies of several bloggers and different cases covered by the press, the Daily Mail prepared a list of ten countries where women may have poor experiences. Morocco, a favorite destination of British nationals, has "a poor record when it comes to women's rights," writes the Daily Mail.
“Female travelers are advised to dress modestly and cover up in the conservative Muslim country,” the Daily said.
Although the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises British nationals that violent crime in Morocco “isn't currently major issue,” the Daily Mail claims that “it is common for female tourists, particularly those traveling on their own, to be routinely harassed by men.”
The newspapers, however, does not show on what basis it concludes that Morocco is one of the most “dangerous destinations for tourists.”
Reacting to the British newspaper's ranking of the world's most dangerous destinations, an American tourist who had previously visited Morocco, told Morocco World News she was "surprised" by the inclusion of the North African country in the list.
"I traveled to Morocco on my own two years ago. I spent ten wonderful days in Rabat, Fez, and Tangier in February 2013. I was happily surprised by the warmth, friendliness and hospitality of Moroccans. I felt safe at all times everywhere I went, including the souks, or city markets, night clubs and generally in the streets and touristic sites. I found Moroccan men and women to be helpful, respectful and open," Paola Garcia, an attorney from New York told Morocco World News.
"I am surprised by the inclusion of Morocco in a list of one of the 10 most dangerous countries for women to visit in a recent Daily Mail article. In my experience, this is far from the truth. I experienced nothing but friendship and generosity from the people I was fortunate to meet. I love Morocco and can't wait to return," she added.
Known for its worrying number of recorded rapes and cases of sexual assault, India holds the top rank, followed by Brazil, where “rape, gender-based violence and gunpoint robberies of tourists remain a problem.”
The Kingdom is less hostile to women compared to some other famous tourist destinations such as Turkey (3rd place) Thailand (4th place), Egypt (5th place) and South Africa (7th).
Despite this inconclusive ranking, Morocco remains one of the most tourist-friendly destinations in the world.
Thanks to its numerous assets, mainly political stability, friendly people, and proximity to Europe, Morocco ranked in third position on the list of most welcoming countries for foreign tourists according to the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (WEF), published last year. A ranking released last October by travel published Lovely Planet ranked Morocco among the world’s top 10 destinations to visit in 2015.
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