By Adil Sarroukh –

TAN-TAN, Southern Morocco, 13 June . - (ANA)- “I’m sorry, there are no rooms left,” a two-star hotel owner told a team of foreign tourists who came to attend the 10th edition of Tan-Tan Moussem Festival held from  4-9 June in southern Morocco.
All hotels were fully booked in the desert city of Tan-Tan, including the ones that were 25 kilometres away from the Festival’s venue.
“We turned down many customers who were desperately looking for accommodation in Tan-Tan,” said 30-year-old Faisal Boufous who is the owner of the Sable D’Or (Golden Sand) hotel.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the guest of honour of this year’s Festival under the theme ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage and Its Role in the Development and Rapprochement of Peoples.’ “This is the first time that the Festival is hosting an Arab country as a guest of honour,” said Tamima Manabih, manager of the four-star Tan-Tan Beach hotel, located in El Ouatia, 25 km away from Tan-Tan.
“The impact of the UAE’s participation in the Festival has been tremendous both socially and economically and far better than any other previous edition,” said Manabih, adding that demand for rooms highly exceeded supply.
Tan-Tan-born Khadija Abladi, a member of parliament from Laayoune, echoed Manabih’s claim. “The Festival has had a great impact on Tan-Tan and its vicinity,” said Abladi.
However, she noted that the city was unable to cope with the number of tourists coming to the Festival because its infrastructure “needs a huge improvement to cater to their needs.”
Prices for renting apartments soared by up to 100 percent in the desert city as some owners took advantage of the accommodation crisis during the Festival.
At night, high-street cafés, snacks and restaurants were packed with tourists while others were busy looking for souvenirs.
“I had to wait for an hour to be served,” said a tourist, who came from Guelmim to attend the Festival, sitting in busy restaurant.
Many other customers were queuing up outside the restaurant in vain as there was no more food left.
“I’m afraid we have run out of stock,” said the restaurant owner to the frustration of waiting customers.
Othmane, a young manager of Marbella café, said that this was the busiest period in Tan-Tan.
“Our café gets busy from the opening hour until midnight,” said Othmane, adding that Tan-Tan’s streets become eerily quiet and businesses struggle to survive after the Festival.
Rachid Massaoudi, a traditional jeweller from Tan-Tan who is taking part in the handicrafts fair as part of the Festival, said that he had plenty of customers this year.
“I sold some sterling-made jewellery to foreign tourists, including Emiratis,” said Massaoudi who is on his third participation in the Festival.  (Editing by Saad Guerraoui)
 

AB/ANA/13 June 2014  - - -