Hotel searches to Marrakesh decreased by 46 per cent after the media reported a British tourist was jailed for "homosexual acts" in the city, according to hotel comparison website trivago.co.uk. Travel interest to Morocco as a whole dropped by 31 per cent.

Although the tourist was jailed in Marrakesh last month, the story was first reported via Pink News on 4th October. As the news spread throughout the media, campaigners took to Morocco's official tourism Facebook page to urge potential visitors to avoid the country.

When hotel searches made by UK travellers on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th October were compared to searches made on the same days the previous week (29th and 30th September), travel interest to Marrakesh dropped by 46 per cent. Although the largest decline in hotel searches occurred in Marrakesh, travel interest to Morocco as a whole decreased by 31 per cent over the same period.

With most stories reported in the media on Monday 6th October, this day saw the greatest decline in travel interest. Compared to Monday 29th September, hotel searches decreased by 52 per cent in Marrakech and 40 per cent to the country as a whole.

Searches were for a hotel stay during the upcoming month. The data is based on UK platform visits from 75 million global monthly users.

Denise Bartlett, UK Public Relations: "With campaigners on Morocco's official tourism Facebook page deeming the country unsafe for British tourists, it seems their plan to boycott the country was initially successful. 46 per cent is a significant decrease rarely seen in popular tourist destinations. For example, following the military coup in Thailand in May 2014, hotel searches decreased by just 26 per cent.

Although the British tourist in question has now been released, it will be interesting to see if tourists continue to avoid the destination. Morocco is a year-round popular choice among UK holidaymakers, while Agadir is a popular winter sun destination. Morocco's tourism economy would no doubt suffer from a sharp decline in British tourists."

About trivago

trivago is a leading global hotel search platform focused on reshaping the way travelers search for and compare hotels and alternative accommodations. Incorporated in 2005 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the platform allows travelers to make informed decisions by personalizing their hotel search and providing them access to a deep supply of hotel information and prices. trivago enables its advertisers to grow their businesses by providing access to a broad audience of travelers via its websites and apps. As of September 30, 2021, trivago has established 54 localized platforms connected to over 5.0 million hotels and alternative accommodations, in over 190 countries.

Denise Bartlett
Public Relations UK
+44 (0) 2034 552 189
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