We always keep track of the news coming from Morocco and what our competitors are up to. Since the liberalization of tourism laws in Morocco, every Tom, Dick, and Mustapha with a car and a camel offers tours, so we use the term “competitors” lightly. They’ll all have a similarly quick and easy website with a few stock images and a generic itinerary that a hundred other newly created operators use. Throw in a few reviews from who knows who on TripAdvisor and Mukhtar’s your uncle: you’re in business!
Mukhtars Magic Carpet Ride
Case in point. A previously unknown Moroccan operator paid to get a press release out into the world offering “Economical Tourist Packages.” A look at their website shows the standard stock images and google maps. But when you look past the headline is where things start to get fun.
Prices
Prices are quoted in Euros (clearly not meant for the US market). For an American traveler to pay in Euros, first, you must convert your dollars. That always adds a fee for currency exchange that they don’t mention. The website says, “Tour prices start at,” but then you have to contact them for actual prices for your party because they don’t publish their prices. Why? A funny thing happens after you send them a request or prices. If you’re from Europe, expect a substantially better price because the European market has become known as “50 Euro Tourists” (that’s how much a flight to Morocco costs). So, European tourists are already bargain-basement travelers looking for a tour to match. However, if you’re from the US, you’ve spent $700 to get to Morocco. Clearly, you can afford to pay more… much more.
Payment
Imagine buying something from a website, but you can only wire them cash with the hope that your purchase will appear. This is where most Moroccan operators start setting off a traveler’s Spidey Senses. “We require a small deposit be wired to our account” is how it starts. Balance to be paid in cash when/if they actually show up. Caveat Emptor! Anyone can have a website, doesn’t mean they exist.
Accommodations
Where you’ll be staying on the tour is never listed on the website. How can you compare a luxury tour to a standard tour if you don’t know where you’re staying? What’s the location? What are the reviews? Is there any difference between standard and luxury accommodation beside the price?
Language
Thanks to ChatGPT, you can get a pretty passable translation into whatever language you want for free. So websites and even emails will give you the impression that they speak your language. The worst time to find out a tour operator doesn’t speak your language is when you arrive and spend the next eight days guessing what’s going on. If you want to find out before you wire money that you might never see again, give them a call! WhatsApp calls are free, and a more reputable operator will list them on their website. Just hope their guides’ language skills are as good as their receptionist’s. As a rule, if they charge in anything other than Dollars or Pounds, anything they say will be lost in translation.
Reliability
TripAdvisor reviews are a dime a dozen (well, .50 a dozen) and can be purchased from several online companies. While TripAdvisor has been working hard to keep their reviews accurate, they still remove over a million yearly. If you can’t trust TripAdvisor, then what can you trust? The first step is to look for license information on the website. Getting a tourism license is still required in Morocco (and a few US States). Also, look for professional memberships or memberships in non-partial organizations.
The SaharaTrek Advantage
There are several benefits to using a SaharaTrek for booking your Morocco travel. Here are a few key advantages:
Familiarity with US Travel Needs
SaharaTrek is US-based and better understands the specific needs and preferences of US travelers. After two decades of working in Morocco, we know the destinations inside and out. We keep current on US travel trends and the US customer expectations of quality and cleanliness, which lets us tailor services and recommendations honestly and accurately.
American Friendly
Americans expect a level of quality and service when they travel. They also expect to feel welcome when they travel. SaharaTrek only works with accommodations, drivers, and guides that welcome US travelers. They speak our language, understand our expectations, and, most importantly, are driven to provide the best experience possible from start to finish.
Continuous Customer Support
By choosing SaharaTrek, you can expect customer support to be available during US business hours and beyond during the booking process. Once clients are in Morocco, we check in frequently to see if they’ve encountered any issues or need assistance while traveling so we can make immediate improvements or modifications.
Compliance with US Consumer Protection Laws
SaharaTrek is licensed and bonded with the State of Florida and is subject to US consumer protection laws, which can provide you with certain rights and legal recourse in case of any disputes or problems with your bookings. This can offer a level of assurance and protection when dealing with travel-related issues that you won’t have when dealing with foreign agencies.
Trust and Credibility
Opting for a reputable US-based travel company such as SaharaTrek provides a sense of trust and credibility due to our established presence in the US market. We have a proven track record, positive reviews, a strong reputation, and professional licenses and memberships, giving you peace of mind when making travel arrangements. Our membership with the Better Business Bureau also provides an independent 3rd party review of licenses, customer experience, and recourse in case of disputes.
Price Transparency and Ease of Payments
Unlike foreign operators that make up prices based on what they think you can pay, SaharaTrek clearly publishes our prices on our website, including taxes and fees. We don’t ever require cash to be wired outside of the country or add credit card processing fees to the cost of the tour. The price we quote is the price you pay and you can pay with a credit card. Being able to pay with a credit card brings even more confidence as you travel since you’ll be protected under your card’s fraud protection and enjoy associated benefits such as included travel insurance on some cards. Another benefit of booking with SaharaTrek, we’re a US company so your credit card company won’t charge you foreign transaction fees.
SaharaTrek: Morocco Made Easy
With so many choices in Morocco travel, SaharaTrek caters to US travelers and strives to offer our clients reliable, affordable, quality tours without hassle or worry. Contact us and see what SaharaTrek can do for you.
