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2 TRAVEL AFRICAN SPECIAL SATURDAY,

MARCH 19, 2011 M.E.N.
TRAVEL NEWS

Surcharges threat
to summer sales
TOUR operators and travel
firms fear that a ‘double
whammy’ of heavy taxes
and prices forced higher by
the Middle East crisis will
threaten millions of Britons
planning to holiday abroad
this year.
With several high street
retailers reporting sharp
falls in spending, tour
operators are battling to sell
A city of calm and
the same. It’s killing the Kate Turner pays an express 48
travel business.
“Although some airlines
and operators bought fuel
hour visit to Marrakech in
forward to avoid price
fluctuations, we may be
close to the point where
Morocco, and finds tranquillity
everybody gets surcharged
for summer 2011, whether
and bustle in equal measure
they have already booked or
not.
“The situation is also ODGE the don- As the morning sun warms

holidays at prices pushed up
in recent months by rising
government taxes and
soaring oil costs.
Operators Thomas Cook
and Tui Travel (owner of
Thomson and First Choice)
imposed surcharges on
bookings from March 1
which add £15 to the cost of
short-haul trips, £25 to mid-
range (more than three
hours’ travel away) and £40
for long-haul trips.
causing havoc in fixing seats
prices for winter 2011/12.”
Over and above the
soaring cost of fuel is the
threat of further rises in air
passenger duty (APD), up by
2,600pc since its introduc-
tion as a ‘green tax’ in 1994.
At current levels, APD
means a British family of
four flying to Florida pays
£240 in flight tax, and £340
to Australia – 12 times more
than levels charged by our
D
key and cart, step
out of the way of
the family teeter-
ing past on a
scooter, apologise
for bumping into
a passer-by, ogle the sticky pas-
tries in the street-side cabinet,
ignore the restaurant tout and...
you’re in the Djemaa el Fna.
If I thought the collision
course of Derb el Bacha (the
road leading to the main square)
was a whirl of sound and motion,
it was only a gentle introduction
the square, stalls serve up
freshly-squeezed orange juice
and dried fruits, while snake-
charmers and monkey handlers
prowl around hoping to slip their
charges onto the shoulders of
snap-happy tourists.
Come late afternoon, food
vendors begin the daily assembly
of their sit-in stalls, offering up
salads, cous cous and barbecued
meat and fish to diners.
Towards sunset, the soul of
the square takes over: musicians
and story-tellers congregate

As oil prices soar on the
back of the Libyan crisis,
surcharges are likely to
become widespread.
Platon Loizou at Turkey
specialist Jewel in the Crown
says: “While fuel costs have
soared 30-40 per cent, many
package prices have stayed
European neighbours.
Yet the coalition govern-
ment indicates this tax
burden will rise from the
current £2.2bn which APD
will raise in the year to June
30, 2011, to £3.6bn by 2015.
That’s a surge of more
than 50pc.
to the assault on the senses that
is Marrakech’s main square,
inside the city’s walled old town
– the medina.
The name Djemaa el Fna
means ‘assembly of the dead’,
but there’s nothing dead about it
at any hour of the day.
against the backdrop of smoke
from the stalls’ grills.
My first experience of the Dje-
maa el Fna was early on Friday
evening, just as it was coming to
life. Wandering past the stalls,
my friends and I were soon
enticed to dine by promises that
»
CALM OASIS The Ali ben Youssef Medersa (above and right)
show a quieter side to Marrakech
“117 will take you to heaven” than Marks And Spencer” and
from the tout (my “brother from invitations to “have a butcher’s”
another mother”, apparently), at other stalls” fresh produce.
having resisted such lines as Once seated in the al-fresco
“Cheaper than Primark, better dining area, we were presented
M.E.N. SATURDAY,
MARCH 19, 2011 AFRICAN SPECIAL TRAVEL 3 «

of chaos

with dishes of flatbread, tomato the square, we headed back to

dips, salads and grilled our home for the weekend, Riad
aubergines, before the mains of Splash. Run by friendly Scot
meat and fish arrived. Andy, who also has an adventure
Most stalls offer similar fare, tours company, the relaxed riad
largely Moroccan dishes aimed (typical Moroccan house built
at the tourist market, although around a central courtyard or
some offer more local delicacies garden) is in the heart of the
such as harira (a spicy chickpea medina, tucked away in a quiet
and lentil soup) and lambs’ sidestreet.
brains. I have to say we didn’t Just steps away from the
make it through the pearly gates chaotic whirl of Derb el Bacha,
after our dinner as promised, hardly a sound penetrated the
but it was certainly a lively din- riad’s walls.
ing experience. The next morning as we sat in
On most Friday nights, a glass the courtyard under the gor-
of wine or two would be on the geous January sun, eating our
agenda, but as a Muslim country, substantial breakfast of fresh
alcohol isn’t supposed to be sold orange juice brought from the
in the sight of mosques in square and thick honey-soaked
Morocco – which should rule local pancakes, we felt relaxed
out almost all bars. and ready to step into the the
However, more upmarket maze of Marrakech’s souks
establishments do tend to serve (markets). Partially covered
the hard stuff. If you’re looking streets which wind away from
to soak up the atmosphere of the the Djemaa el Fna, the souks sell
square though, you’ll find that everything from leather goods to
you’re much more likely to find lanterns to chickens, and it’s still
mint tea than G&T in possible to catch sight
the surrounding bars. ‘Haggling is of craftsmen at work
Several have essential as you wander
panoramic terraces, here, so be through.
offering a calm van- Difficult to navi-
tage point over the
buzz of activity below.
Back on ground
level, it’s worth taking
sure to
unleash
your best
gate, the best way to
enjoy the souks is to
dive in, wander
through and not
the students’ quarters and mar-
vel at the fact that 900 students
were once housed in its 132 tiny
dormitories.
» ASSAULT ON THE
SENSES The square of
Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech is a
bustling focal point for the city.
the decidedly more elegant expe-
rience on offer at Cafe Arabe on
the Rue el-Mouassine close to
the souks. Spread over three
some European capitals, the
hustle and bustle of Marrakech
never feels stressful, and visitors
can easily sit back and observe
a stroll around the bargaining worry about where The city also has two palaces Inset, fashion designer Matthew floors, this upmarket but laid- (from a safe, scooter-free van-
square to get a flavour lines before you emerge, hopefully which are open to the public: Williamson visits Marrakech back restaurant is a lovely spot tage point, of course).
of the various per- with a bargain or two Bahia and the ruined El Badi. We to while away an afternoon or an Out of season, it’s also an
formances that con- parting in tow. Haggling is chose to visit the latter on a Majorelle, a taxi ride from the evening. excellent value city: food is a
tributed to making the with your essential here, so be sunny Sunday morning, and medina, is a riot of colour and Chorlton-raised fashion purse-friendly commodity, and
Djemaa el Fna a dirhams’ sure to unleash your were charmed by the beauty fun, while contemporary art can designer Matthew Williamson for two nights bed and breakfast
UNESCO World Her- best bargaining lines contained within its red walls. be found at a number of galleries clearly thinks so too, as he was accommodation, we paid just
itage site: story-tellers (sadly before parting with your A ruined shell may not sound including Matisse Art Gallery on enjoying a drink there on our £50 each.
their words are incomprehensi- dirhams. worth your time, but the once- Passage Ghandouri. visit. We made for the upstairs And as it’s just a four-hour
ble unless your Moroccan Ara- Although more famous for its glorious 16th-century structure Surprisingly, 48 hours gave us roof terrace, sprawled on the flight, it’s not quite as far flung
bic is up to scratch, but their dra- atmosphere than its sights, those is now a welcome slice of calm. enough time to explore Mar- cushion-covered benches and and inaccessible a destination as
matic arm gestures and the seeking an itinerary offering Large pools lie in the centre, rakech’s medina at a relaxed tucked into tagines, cous cous you might think.
enthralled crowds suggest more than food, shopping and with palm trees and shrubberies pace. It also proved sufficient to and pastilla washed down by
they’ve mastered their craft) and wandering won’t be disap- around the edges. delve into the city’s culinary white wine. For around £10 per FACTFILE
musicians of all kinds fill the pointed by Marrakech. Histori- Visitors can join the families of scene, although again, the mod- head, this was the most pricey
square, along with a number of cal sights include the Ali ben storks on the ramparts, which ern trendy restaurants of the meal of the weekend, but well Riad Splash – moroccoadven-
over-enthusiastic henna tattoo Youssef Medersa, a former offer a wide-reaching view over new town remained unexplored. worth it for the superior setting. turetours.com/2010/06/riad-
artists who’ll start the first flour- Quranic school set around a the city’s rooftops and to the Our dining spectrum ranged Despite the constant chaotic splash-now-open/ We flew with
ishes of a flower design on your beautiful central courtyard fea- Atlas mountains beyond. from the street food of the Dje- motion of the medina, Mar- Ryanair from Luton to Mar-
hand if you so much as hesitate turing intricate plasterwork and For those looking for some- maa el Fna and the delicious rakech is a relaxing destination rakech for £76 return including
when walking past. colourful mosaics. thing a bit more modern, Yves cous cous in no frills Cafe for a weekend break. Unlike taxes. Easyjet also fly to
After an evening checking out Upstairs, you can step inside Saint Laurent’s Jardin Toubkal (also on the square), to modern metropolises such as Marrakech from Manchester.