How it works:
- Situation: due to Morocco’s low minimum wage (100 DH or ~10 USD for 8 hours), many resort to offering unsolicited help and then demanding an inflated tip which can be 20-50% of that!
- Version 1 (simple help): this is unsolicited – pointing directions, or pointing to a spot for taking photos and then asking for a tip.
- Version 2 (tour guide): claims to be an official tour guide paid by the tourist board, or someone who knows you as he works as your hotel (this is fake). He then offers to bring you on a tour where you will likely end up at a carpet shop where he gets a cut.
- Version 3 (lost): another brings you deep into a medina, then demands a large fee to bring you out.
- Version 4 (tannery): will lead you onto the infamous tannery scam.
- Version 5 (pickpocket): pickpockets in Morocco.
Places to beware:
- Agadir: Souk El Had d’Agadir, Agadir Beach, Seafront promenade, Agadir Kasbah
- Casablanca: Old Medina of Casablanca, New Medina of Casablanca
- Essaouira: Medina of Essaouira
- Fes: Medina of Fez, Moulay Abdellah Quarter, Chouara Tannery, Bab Boujloud, Fes el-Bali
- Marrakech: Ben Youssef Madrasa, Medina of Marrakesh, Marrakech Souk, Jemaa El-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret
- Rabat: Kasbah des Oudaias
- Tangier: Medina of Tangier, Tangier Casbah
- Tetouan: Medina of Tetouan
What to do:
- If you need, solicit help rather than be solicited.
- There may be good unofficial guides but in general, they are not properly trained for it. Get a licensed, reputable guide instead:
- Offline operators: ask – is the operator licensed? Is there a website, office and working phone number? Are there real online reviews? What does the price cover – is it too cheap?
- Online platforms: GetYourGuide (leading day tour platform globally) also has many popular tours (e.g. Ouzoud Waterfalls, Atlas Mountain, Merzouga desert safari, etc).