Touts, Guides & Hustlers
Morocco’s notorious hustlers and faux guides (unofficial guides) remain an unavoidable part of
the Moroccan experience.
» » Brigades touristiques (tourist police) were set up in the principal tourist centres, and
anyone suspected of trying to operate as an unofficial guide could face jail and/or a huge fine.
This has greatly reduced, but not eliminated, the problem.
» » Hustlers are often desperate to make a living, and they can be persistent and sometimes
unpleasant.
» » You’ll generally find them hanging around the entrances to the big cities’ medinas, and
outside bus, train and ferry stations.
» » Having a siege mentality would be an overreaction.
» » Indeed, when arriving in a place for the first time, you might benefit from the services of a
guide, official or otherwise.
» » Although high unemployment rates drive the numbers of faux guides , not all are complete
imposters. Many are very experienced and speak half a dozen languages.
» » Sometimes their main interest is the commission gained from certain hotels or on articles
sold to you in the souqs.
GAUCHE, GREEN & GULLIBLE
Many Moroccans genuinely believe that Westerners, though perhaps more sophisticated than themselves, are infinitely more
naive, gullible and even plain stupid. Some, including the notorious faux guides, may operate with this in mind.
Very early on in your encounter with these guides, you’ll be sized up for what you’re worth. Apart from physical indications
such as your watch, shoes and clothes, you’ll be assessed from a series of questions: how long you’ve been in Morocco,
whether you’ve visited the country before, what your job is, whether you have a family (an indication of wealth) etc.
Always be suspicious of these unsolicited enquiries and pretend that you know the city or country well. A few words of
Arabic will convince them of this.
Considered to be the most lucrative nationalities, in descending order, are the Japanese, Americans, Canadians,
Australians, British, northern Europeans, southern Europeans, and Middle-Eastern Arabs. Sub-Saharan Africans and Arabs
from other North African countries are considered the least lucrative.
A common starting point is claiming to want nothing more than friendship, saying they are keen to show you around town,
take you to a cheap shop or help you find a hotel. Other classic approaches include wanting to practise English, or needing
help with reading or deciphering official documents or letters from friends.
If you turn them down, some will try to play on your conscience by suggesting you are racist for not liking Moroccans or
Muslims.
A good ploy is to shorten the exchange by just playing dumb. If you feel you’re being categorised, you could cause confusion
by pretending you’re from an obscure country. Be warned, though: Moroccans have a real aptitude for languages, and it could
place you on the back foot if your new friend starts spouting away in the fluent Ukrainian you claim to speak.DEALING WITH GUIDES
» » Agree a price before setting off on a tour.
» » Set some parameters on what you expect to see and the number of shops you’re taken to.
» » Unofficial guides charge around Dh50 to Dh100 per day.
» » Rates should always be per guide, not per person.
» » A few dirham will suffice if you want to be guided to a specific location (like a medina exit).