Just back from a few days in Fes where I am working with AECOM (based in DC) and a team from the local university on a major study looking at opportunities for developing a 5 ha site at Bab Makina for tourism uses that will deliver real benefits to the surrounding community.Fes currently receives around 350,000 international visitors per annum, a small proportion of the 7 million + tourists visiting Morocco each year. The key attraction is the historic medina, home to more than 125,000 people including thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The tanneries at Chouwarra (pictured left) are a highlight of any tour of the medina, but most tourists spend their time bartering with retailers so that they can get the biggest bang for their buck/ euro/ pound.
We tend to assume that trying to drive the price down through bargaining is part of the fun for both parties, but when the sums involved are very modest in real terms, who are we actually kidding? The average wage of an artisan working in the medina is around $100 per month, around 5% of the average wage in the UK for instance.
Earlier this week the UNWTO launched a major campaign urging the tourism sector to be more aware of the opportunities that exist for combating urban and rural poverty through the adoption of more responsible behaviour and attitudes. http://www.unwto.org/media/news/en/press_det.php?id=4331&idioma=E
The International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Met University has been working with UNWTO and other partners on pro-poor tourism for several years. For more information on our consultancy and training services, look at www.icrtourism.org or call +44 113 812 5880
