Update from ATTA Members Operating in Morocco: Resilience and Relief After the Earthquake

Voices From the Field is a space for the benefit of our members to build awareness within our global community. The views and opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily ATTA’s, nor do we endorse them by their publication. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Thank you to the following ATTA Members who have contributed statements below:

• Idrissia Thestrup, ATTA Ambassador and Owner – Lost Horizon
• Jasmin Hadorn, CSR Manager – ASI Reisen
• Matt Berna, President and Managing Director for the Americas – Intrepid Travel
• Gina Meeks, Community Communications Specialist and Keith Sproule, Executive Director –  Abercombie & Kent Philanthropy

Idrissia Thestrup, ATTA Ambassador and Owner, Lost Horizon

As an Amazigh woman, born in a remote and poor Rif Mountain village of Morocco, and as an Ambassador for ATTA, I feel compelled to share my voice to steer the conversation towards how the global tourism community can support resilience and relief initiatives in the impacted regions.

I woke up on the 9th of September with worried messages from friends asking about my family in Morocco. My dad lives in Morocco, as do half of my close relatives. After calling around, everyone was accounted for except our relatives in the Atlas Mountain area. We spent 24 hours worrying. The phones and communication lines were all damaged or disturbed by the earthquake. Luckily, we found out they were all safe, but for many that wasn’t the case.

On the fateful night of September 8, 2023, western Morocco was rocked by a calamitous 6.8 earthquake on the Richter scale. Originating near the town of Oukaïmedene, the quake wrought untold suffering—claiming over 2,900 lives and leaving 5,500 injured. The tremors radiated far beyond its epicenter in Morocco’s Al Haouz province, reaching as distant as Casablanca, Portugal, and Algeria. The tragedy reverberated through the region’s local communities and cast a dark shadow over its emerging adventure tourism sector.

In the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe, I tapped into the amazing ATTA network via WhatsApp. The community, despite being engaged in preparations for the Adventure Travel World Summit in Japan at the time, responded swiftly and supportively. Special recognition goes to Raj Gyawali from Social Tours in Nepal, whose insights into managing Nepal’s post-quake relief efforts in 2015 were invaluable, and to Shannon Stowell, who offered to leverage ATTA’s platforms to magnify the reach of my message and our collective relief efforts.

The earthquake unleashed its greatest fury on remote settlements tucked away in the Atlas Mountains, while mostly sparing the popular tourist destination of Marrakech from severe damage. The most devastating losses occurred in remote and poor areas that are notoriously difficult to access—rugged hillsides and isolated valleys. In places like Al Haouz, the widespread destruction was exacerbated by the prevalent use of unreinforced brick and masonry in building structures. Marrakech, in contrast, largely escaped unscathed thanks to its more modern construction standards made possible by the tourism boom in the city.

The quake-stricken areas are predominantly inhabited by Amazigh communities, who have long been marginalized in Moroccan society. Only in recent years has there been a resurgence and recognition of their unique languages and cultural heritage. Adventure tourism spotlights the untapped beauty of these regions, fuelling economic development and empowerment. However, the recent earthquake has dealt a debilitating blow to these nascent gains.

In response to the crisis, a multitude of organizations have rallied to provide immediate relief and ongoing support to the affected communities. Among them the Atlas Foundation aiming at advancing sustainability in Morocco. I also would like to highlight a few local initiatives I champion and I think are deserving of our support. Among them are:

• JOOD (@ong_jood): A citizen-led initiative that originally focused on assisting homeless and marginalized Moroccans. Jood were among the first to mobilize, using their volunteer network to bring relief to the remote communities. They are currently setting up mobile-home villages in the most remote areas to offer a more robust shelter solution for the approaching winter. Temperatures can drop past -10 degrees Celsius in the high mountains.
• Education for All (@efa_morocco): Actively engaged in promoting educational access for women and girls in the region, EFA’s community centers and boarding schools were damaged in the quake and are in dire need of rebuilding. They offer education and hope for a better life to many girls and women. Their fundraiser is through Global Giving.
• SOS Villages d’Enfants Maroc (@sosvillagesdenfantsmaroc): Focusing on the welfare of children, currently particularly working in the Al Houaz and Taroudant regions, this organization has established food banks and temporary educational facilities.
• Association INSAF (@insafassociation): A women’s rights NGO that has been quick to deliver relief to the impacted villages.
• Foundation JADARA (@jadara_foundation): Committed to providing 46 higher education scholarships for students from the affected remote villages. Without this financial help, these students would not be able to afford an education, and a better future for themselves and their families.

The tourism industry has a pivotal role to play in recovery, both immediate and long-term. Here are some avenues for impactful contributions:

1. Promotion of Local Suppliers: Key players in the tourism industry can serve as catalysts for economic revitalization by championing local providers, as well as artisans and cultural experiences.
2. Sustainable Tourism: As Adventure tourism does and should keep doing, we all have a duty to promote and prioritize sustainable practices as they can help ensure the gains from tourism infiltrate all areas of the local communities, fostering growth but also resilience against future disasters.
3. Long-term Commitment and Support: The need for aid extends beyond the fleeting focus of media attention. Sustained engagement is crucial for meaningful recovery.

While the earthquake has wrought devastation, it also serves as a reminder of the transformative power of collective action and community resilience. The tourism industry, with its global reach and influence, is uniquely positioned to make a lasting impact in the relief and recovery efforts.

Even though this article is about Morocco, let us not forget about Libya and the devastating flood that has recently killed at least 11,000 people. The country has a long road to overcome war, civil unrest, and natural disasters before it becomes a tourism destination, however, the communities and people there also need support from the global community.

As the media spotlights inevitably shift from one natural disaster to the other one, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to use our industry as a force for good not only where we have an economic interest, but everywhere we can make a positive difference.

Let us join our individual efforts with ATTA, and Tomorrow´s Air to help mitigate our industry´s impact on our environment, and assist in the best of our abilities regenerate beautiful but vulnerable destinations and communities.

Jasmin Hadorn, CSR Manager, ASI Reisen

ASI Reisen is an Austria-based tour operator with the mission to develop sustainable experiences for travellers and local communities alike. Jasmin Hadorn, CSR Manager, offers some insight into why it is imperative that trips to Morocco still take place and how ASI Reisen used fundraising to support local communities.

As a tour operator, we work closely with our local partners. This direct cooperation has been a reassuring component during these times and enabled us to understand our local partner’s situation and challenges. Fortunately, our partners in Morocco are safe and have not been directly affected by the earthquake. As local tourism businesses, they are currently most worried about the decline in bookings; the tragic events and the aftermath of the earthquake in Morocco has put a halt to the tourism industry. 

Our partners expressed that the intense coverage through media has distorted the image and conveyed the idea that the whole country lies in ruins. As a consequence, Moroccan tourism organisations are facing a strong decrease in bookings. This is not to downplay the suffering due to the earthquake, but the reality is that Morocco is still easily accessible and safe to travel to. For this reason, it is important to continue promoting trips to Morocco especially because the destination is very much dependent on tourism as a main source of income for many small and family-owned businesses. Precisely during challenging times like this, the tourism industry must go on, to ensure continuous employment and income.

Another concern which has been voiced was the moral aspect of travelling to Morocco. Our partner shared that some of the guests felt guilty about wanting to travel to Morocco, given that there has been an earthquake. Nevertheless, our partner stressed that guests are very much welcome in Morocco and that local communities appreciate visitors, especially since they travel despite the circumstances.

ASI Reisen continues promoting its trips to Morocco and to facilitate continuous support. In addition, ASI Reisen has started a fundraiser through its own donation platform. The platform was launched in 2021 to create added value in communities beyond travelling. This initiative has given us the chance to help give local aid projects more exposure and generating donations for them.

In that regard, our platform has proven to be a useful tool to mobilize donations in a short period of time. We launched a fundraiser campaign to support the CARE foundation in its efforts to coordinate disaster relief in Morocco and support the local communities on the ground. With CARE, we are supporting a professional organization that implements short, mid- and long-term measures to support the local communities. ASI Reisen received EU 18,000 in donations on our platform in September, which we then doubled. Additionally, ASI covers all costs and fees, so that the full amount of the donation goes to the aid project directly.

We have received a lot of positive feedback from our guests, friends, and partners. Especially many of our guests show a high willingness to support this fundraising campaign, often sharing with us memories of cherished experiences they had made in Morocco and emphasising they want to give something back to the communities.

At ASI Reisen, we believe that it is our responsibility to amplify the voice of our local partners and supporting their communities by encouraging responsible travel to Morocco. 

Matt Berna, President and Managing Director for the Americas, Intrepid Travel

Intrepid holds a deep and enduring connection with Morocco. As one of the tour operator’s biggest destinations globally, the country has shared its beauty with countless Intrepid travelers. Intrepid Travel offers 33 tours in Morocco, with a major office in Marrakech and nearly 80 local team members. Intrepid had 66 tour groups and approximately 650 customers on tours in the country at the time of the earthquake, all of whom are accounted for.

After the earthquake, Intrepid resumed trips to Morocco beginning on September 13th. We made some necessary changes to itineraries, rerouting from the Atlas Mountains and Marrakech medina, but otherwise the tourism industry, airports, hotels, restaurants, are all operating as normal and guides, leaders, and hosts are all eager to welcome travelers.

Tourism in Morocco has surged since the pandemic and it is vital to their economy. September, October, and November are peak travel seasons, and will be essential for the millions of people whose livelihoods rely on tourism in Morocco. One of the biggest risks moving forwards is letting false headlines write the wrong future for Morocco. Morocco is open, Morocco is safe, and Morocco is still an incredible place to visit.

Immediately following the devastating earthquake, Intrepid Travel launched an emergency appeal through its not-for-profit, the Intrepid Foundation, committing to double all donations up to AUD $100,000. All funds raised will go directly to grassroots organizations to provide emergency relief and support in Morocco following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated parts of the country on September 8, 2023. As of September 25, 2023, the appeal has raised over $415,000.

The Intrepid Foundation has established the appeal to provide support to its long-term local NGO partners in Morocco, Education for All and the High Atlas Foundation who are on the ground working with local communities. This includes providing those impacted with essential provisions such as food, shelter, clean water, and medical supplies. The Intrepid Foundation will match donations to the Morocco Earthquake Appeal up to $100,000 AUD while covering the foundation’s administrative costs, ensuring 100% of donations go directly to recovery efforts.

To donate, please visit the Intrepid Foundation. 

Gina Meeks, Community Communications Specialist, and Keith Sproule, Executive Director – Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy

Abercrombie and Kent has partnered with a Moroccan DMC for over two decades. Our local Marrakech-based team is comprised of over 40 professionals dedicated to delivering the highest quality guest experience country-wide. It was with deep sorrow and a desire to provide immediate assistance that A&K operationalized the company approach to disaster relief.

On Friday, September 8, 11 PM local time, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Morocco. The epicenter was in the High Atlas Mountains, approximately 43.5 mi (70 km) southwest of Marrakesh. A 4.9-magnitude aftershock followed just 20 minutes later. In total, at least 2,900 people have died, with more than 5,500 injured and at least 50,000 without homes.

The quake’s epicenter was in a remote area of the High Atlas Mountains. Nearby villages in this mountainous region experienced the most significant devastation, damage to buildings and infrastructure, and human losses. Government authorities and many organizations responded very quickly and efficiently, carrying out relief efforts and providing aid. Abercrombie & Kent Morocco and Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy have joined those relief efforts.

A&K Morocco moved into action immediately after the earthquake. Once the office knew guests and staff were safe, six vehicles were loaded with water, essential food items and blankets, and a convoy was organized to reach one of the impacted villages. Coordinating with local authorities, they delivered the supplies in the Amizmiz Region to about 200 families in three different remote villages near the epicenter of the earthquake.

The same evening, A&K Morocco co-financed with one of our camp suppliers to set up tents as the first emergency shelter in the village of Talat N’Yaaquod, high up in the mountain closer to the epicenter.

Most recently, in conjunction with the local authorities, A&K Morocco launched two convoys delivering the tents normally used for camps in remote areas. One convoy went to an area near Amizmiz and another to Tinmel. Tents were erected in the villages of Assoul, Amerzgan, Tazalt and Taferghoust, as close as 1.25 mi (2 km) from the epicenter. Even if small, this area will need more help to get through the coming winter.

Click here to donate to support the Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy relief efforts. Select “AKP Emergency Relief Fund” and type “Morocco” in the message section.