I visited Morocco – this is why I will NEVER return

Despite its luxury hotels, vibrant cities and bustling markets, Morocco seems a polarizing place for tourists to visit, with some claiming they will never return.

Although it is a bucket list holiday destination for many, certain TikTok and YouTube users are using the platforms to dissuade their followers from visiting Morocco.

Expensive scams, intimidating interactions and ‘exhausting’ calls are among a host of reasons why some social media users claim they have no plans to return to the North African country.

TikToker Sophie Milner went on holiday to Marrakesh earlier this year after having “amazing memories” from two previous trips to the city. However, she said that her recent vacations led her to stop visiting.

Talking to her 40,000 followers on TikTokshe claimed she received the ‘worst customer service’ 90 per cent of the time she was there.

Despite its luxury hotels, vibrant cities and bustling markets, Morocco seems a polarizing place for tourists to visit, with some claiming they will never return.

TikToker Sophie Milner (pictured left) claimed she received the ‘worst customer service’ 90 per cent of the time she was in Marrakech. Another TikToker, who goes by the username ‘eight-jelly-eight’ (pictured right), said she would not return to Morocco alone

She said: ‘We turned up at (a restaurant) I had booked and they claimed I hadn’t booked (and) tried to bail us out. I had to show the confirmation email. So they sat us at dirty tables, they didn’t give us menus, they kissed our teeth, they gave us attitude…’

The TikToker, who previously worked as a waitress for eight years, claimed she had a similarly negative experience at most of the restaurants they dined at during their nearly two-week trip.

However, the trip also had positive aspects. She said some of the restaurants they went to were ‘incredible’ and the staff at one of the hotels they stayed at were ‘amazing’. Sophie added: “There were some wonderful taxi drivers who were so welcoming, so friendly.”

Sophie told her followers: “You’re always going to experience cultural differences when you go somewhere different and that’s… one of the reasons I love to travel.” But, she concluded: ‘In general, people (in Marrakech) were so, so rude. I’ve never experienced anything like it.’ She added that she was ‘surprised and surprised’ by the experience.

Another TikToker, who uses the username ‘eight-jelly-eight’, said she would not return to Morocco on her own.

While the US TikToker said she had a ‘blast’ visiting Marrakesh with eight of her friends, she said: ‘The call was exhausting at one point.’

Sharing with her 71,000 followers, she continued: “As a group of nine black American women, speaking English (and) walking around, we were kind of a spectacle. So if I was constantly being watched and constantly being called in a group of nine of us, I can’t imagine what would happen if I was traveling alone.’

She added that this was just her experience of the country and it may be different for other travelers. Looking on the bright side, the TikToker noted that Moroccan tour companies are ‘awesome’, with her and her friends enjoying a day of all-terrain vehicles in the desert.

Seasoned travel vlogger Ben Frier, who goes by the username Backpacker Benalso said he would never return to the country after facing ‘relentless’ scammers who, he explained in a Video on YouTuberuined most of his trip.

First, sharing his positive experiences, Ben said that he stayed in very affordable and nice hotels, with those in the capital, Rabat, costing just £45 a night. Speaking to his 243,000 subscribers, Ben said: “Generally people in Morocco are very friendly, especially here in Rabat and Chefchaouen.”

Morocco expects to surpass its pre-pandemic tourism level, welcoming 13 million people to the country by the end of the year. Above is Chefchaouen, where one YouTuber said he found the people to be ‘very friendly’

However, he said these positive experiences were ‘spoiled’ by encounters with ‘aggressive’ scammers and thieves. Ben, who has traveled to more than 80 countries, said Morocco has some of the highest volumes of scammers he has come across and ‘it ruins the whole experience’.

He said: “We’ve had three or four occasions where locals have tried to fight me because we were saying no to what they were offering.”

Sharing some tricks to watch out for, Ben told his followers to be ‘careful’ where they are taking photos and videos as scammers could be asking them for money.

The Plymouth native said she always asks taxi drivers to use a meter to avoid overcharging. He also recommended watching out for restaurants that hand out menus on the street at one price, but then charge you double after you’ve eaten there.

Since it was posted, Ben’s video has received 127,600 views and garnered thousands of comments from conflicted travelers. One user commented: ‘As a Moroccan, I think it’s time for international tourists to start sharing these kinds of experiences. The Moroccan government prides itself on being a tourist destination, but it still doesn’t crack down hard on fraudsters. Hopefully things will change!’

Meanwhile, countless other social media users have enjoyed their time in Morocco, like TikTokers Kemoy Martinwho said he loved the country so much he ‘never wanted to leave’, and users ‘Meisha’who declared her trip there a ‘dream holiday’.

And tourists are still traveling there in droves. Between January and August, Morocco welcomed 10.2 million travelers, while the country could surpass its pre-pandemic level of 13 million this year, the tourism ministry said.

After a devastating earthquake in Morocco last month, which claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people, many TikTokers have also urged tourists to visit.

One TikToker said: “It’s important to note that Morocco remains a safe and welcoming destination.

“We urge you not to cancel your travels and continue to explore this beautiful land.”

Additionally, historical sites in Marrakesh, including the Bahia Palace, the Badi Palace and the Saadian Tombs have now reopened to tourists.