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Rabat- The Tourist Brigade of Marrakech arrested 1,817 unlicensed or “fake” tour guides in the first six months of 2018 under charges of fraud, drug-dealing, and violence against tourists in the region.
Unlicensed tour guides continue to prove a challenge for Morocco’s growing tourism sector, especially in cities considered large tourist attractions like the Red City of Marrakech.
The Red City’s Tourist Brigade seized 115 beggars for “disturbing the peace of tourists,”110 individuals in possession of drugs, 90 others in possession of sharp weapons—suspected of attacking tourists—and 63 suspects of robbery.
Marrakech’s Police Prefecture reported that 98 of the arrested individuals suffered from mental illnesses; the Tourist Brigade delivered them to local social welfare institutions.
Although some justify the phenomenon of fake tour guides by the lack of job opportunities in the local market, unlicensed tour guides threaten the country’s economic progress since some of them manipulate, harass, and assault foreign visitors in the kingdom.
Reviews on the world’s largest travel website TripAdvisor warned against “fake” tour guides speaking English and directing tourists in Rabat.
One reviewer wrote: “Upon entering, fake tour guides speaking English will tell you the entrance is closed and try to direct you in a different direction. Ignore these people! The entrance is correct.”
The commentators provided tips to visitors based on their own experiences with fake guides.
“Be aggressive and tell them “no” or “la shokran” (Moroccan Arabic: no, thank you) and keep walking…These men are fake tour guides trying to get you to follow them throughout the Kasbah for a fee,” the review reads.
