A Journey Through Morocco: Color, Culture & the Stories That Stay With Us

Hey, one more thing before you go. Ask yourself, what if travel wasn't about escape, but about returning to yourself?What if the places we visit aren't destinations, but mirrors, revealing who we are, where we come from, and what we've gotten and learned along the way, as well as what we've forgotten? Stay with me, because today we're exploring Morocco not as tourists, but as storytellers.And my guests is going to tell us a story about the magic of our Moroccan journey. I'm your host, Michael Herst. Welcome to One more thing before you go. Today we're stepping into a world of color, culture, memory, and meaning.Joining me is someone who doesn't just guide travelers to Morocco, he guides them into themselves. He's the founder, along with his wife, of Destination Morocco, host of the Destination Morocco podcast. It's a great podcast. You have to listen to it.And a storyteller who believes travel is less about where you go and more about who you become once you're there. Welcome to the show, Azdean Elmoustaquim

Thank you so much, Michael, for this amazing, amazing opportunity to be on your incredible podcast. I'm very grateful.

Oh, I am grateful that you're here to share your wisdom and your experience and your journey into how we can experience something we see in the movies. You know, we've seen it on tv, you know, and now we can kind of experience it just a little bit here through our storytelling.

Absolutely.

I, you know, I know that your destination starts long before Morocco, but tell me a little bit about yourself. Where'd you grow up?

I was born and raised in Marrakesh. My family hails from a small village in the. In Tluat. It's called Tluat. It's in the outskirts of Waurzazet.A lot of people know because it is one of their stop, especially when they visited Morocco, going to the city, southern part of Morocco, and also it's known for Africa, Hollywood, if you would. So they're making. That's where they film a lot of the movies that you see in Hollywood. So, yes, very cool.

Your story begins, as I said, long before Destination Morocco.You left your homeland, you lived abroad for decades, and then you returned, not as a tourist, but as someone kind of rediscovering a part of yourself. Can you take us to the moment that. That brought you back to that. What did returning to Morocco awaken in you?

Well, I mean, when I lived in Morocco, I mean, as a young man in my 20s and teens, I mean, it just looked basic, simple, but Then when I moved to the U.S. you know, with years go by, I just, it made me really, really appreciate what it offers, you know, in terms of history, in terms of the culture, the art, architecture, the, the people. So I, I fell in love with it again. And it's, it's, it's a beautiful thing. So now I go back and forth.I am based in the US And I travel back and forth. And I actually just came back from Morocco, so it's just, it's amazing.

You know, I think that it's. Sometimes we forget what's in our own backyard. You know, my wife and I and our kids grew up. We don't live in Colorado anymore.We moved from Colorado to Arizona.But, you know, there were so many things that were right there that once we left, we kind of went, oh, I never did that, or oh, I didn't visit there, or oh, I should have done that, or I should have visited there. Because people say, oh, what was this like? What was that like?And I had to embarrassingly say, I don't know, I, I forgot to go, forgot to look at that. But, you know, you take things for granted sometimes. You know, I think that when we do something like that.You said that travel, travel's true magic comes from like, connecting with people and not necessarily places. When did you first kind of realize that? Like, like I just said, I, I had to leave before I realized the magic of what was still there. Where I left.

You know, I actually realized it when, when we started Destinations Morocco after the, you know, our son was born. We want him to, to know his roots and where he came from.And even though we are Moroccans, there's still a lot of things that we don't know about Morocco. I mean, even the way that we travel is different than the way that we book travel today, than tourists travel, than, you know, high end travel is.So in Morocco, we travel just like, you know, family to family and visiting, you know, friends and stuff. But nowadays it's completely different. So you really see Morocco.There's people, people living in Morocco, but they, they have not really seen Morocco.So and, and, and when that happens, I started doing, you know, homework and research, you know, for the company and also for the podcast when he, you know, before we started it. So it made me relearn, if you would, everything that I needed about Morocco and from Morocco. So, and it's still a learning process.I still, I know the destination, but there's always something new to London. There's, you know, a new place that opened the New yard, a hotel, a restaurant, new experience. So the, the learning process really never stops.Michael?

Yeah, I, I think that it, it, especially a culture, every society grows in itself. Society is constantly evolving. You know, as I mentioned earlier, we moved from Colorado to Arizona. We've been here for 20 years now.We went back about, I think about five years ago, six years ago, which, which you wouldn't think that we would. That much change. We barely recognized where I grew up, where my wife grew up, there was so much change.So many things had evolved so quickly, and it just was amazing that, that, both positive and negative, you know, from that perspective. And I think, I think that's true anywhere that we go.How did that kind of realization shape the birth of Destination Morocco, the company that you started, you and your wife started?

Yes, it really changed literally everything because, again, Morocco, when we lived in it, or at least me, I really, like you said, I've taken it for granted. But coming to the US and living in the us it made me appreciate it more.And also in terms of change, you know, I've been back and forth many, many times, and last, I would say last 15 or so years, when you see the change, it's really, really slow. You go back to Marrakesh, there's not much change, just a little bit of things that you can notice.But the last two and a half years, the changes is happening super fast. I just came back about two weeks ago, and everything looks under construction. Everybody's getting ready for the World cup in 2030.Now Morocco is hosting the African cup of N Nations, and they're doing an amazing job. But you can just see the preparation in all the host cities. Marrakesh, Casablanca, and so forth.So the change is happening very, very quick and very fast again the same way. Some are good and some are bad. So Marrakesh was a small city, but then it has expanded quite a bit.And with that expansion, it brings a little bit of change into the culture, the people living in Marrakesh and so forth and so forth.

So, yeah, I guess the question remains, has Casablanca changed that much from, you know, what we know Casablanca as in the movies?

It really has. Yes, it has. So.And a lot of people, they know Morocco because of the movie, and a lot of people, they go to Morocco, especially to Casablanca, and they want to go to Rick's Cafe Michael and, you know, have, you know, a dinner or birthday or, or a celebration or just, you know, a glass of wine. And the inside, it's, it's. It is beautiful. It's definitely Worth the visit.So, yeah, Casablanca definitely has changed again, because Casablanca is the economy hub of Morocco and it is the largest city. So it's comparing Casablanca to other cities. Casablanca is a little bit advanced in that regard.

Yeah. Very cool. Was the one thing that stands out about you and your wife, if. Is it Kadah? Kadahi.

Khadijah.

Khadijah. Forgive me.

Yes.

About you and your wife, Khadijah, I know that your work is deeply personal. You don't just offer tours. I like the fact that you offer everything that I've studied about it.You offer relationships, which I think that's important. Whenever we go someplace, we don't want to feel like we're an outsider.We don't want to feel like, here we are, they can point you out, you know, going, oh, well, there's another tourist. We want to feel like we belong there. We want to feel comfortable when we're there.

Absolutely. That is really, really important, and it makes a difference.And that's one of the really good things about Morocco, and it makes not just us, but the whole country unique.It's actually the people, the hospitality, the welcoming, you know, whether sharing, you know, Moroccan mean tea or just, you know, breakfast or anything. So those relationships are very important.That's why, you know, the people that work with, whether it's a hotel or gathering experience, we make sure that, you know, they're good people. We make sure that they're good to others and tourists. And you can see that it really shows during their experience.So that's like you said, Michael, it is very crucial, very important.

Well, I appreciate that. And, you know, I'm a tea drinker, so, you know, mint tea with the Berber family would be kind of cool for me because I, I, I love tea, number one.I also like the, the relaxing atmosphere when there, there's not. It's not the, it's not Starbucks. You know, the in and the out, the noise and the.

The.

It is. Take time, relax, enjoy your tea cooking.You do things like cooking with Tanjin in local homes, sleeping under the Sahara, stars walking through artisan workshops.Most tourists never see from that perspective, I know that they get a cultural immersion which is essential to understanding Morocco or any place that we go to. I think I'm a society and culture podcast. Everywhere that we've ever gone, we've tried to understand the culture.Before we get there, we try to understand everything that we need to do to understand the people, their cultures, to respect that and to be able to kind of immerse ourselves within that, so that we're all a family, the whole world, we're all brothers and sisters. So I like that aspect of it. Why do you think cultural immersion is essential to understanding Morocco in particular?

Because of everything that you just mentioned, Michael. Because it makes the experience that much better.Because, and that's actually, that's really unique because you brought up the tea and the burger family.That's actually the number one experience and the request that we get for a lot of people that are traveling with Morocco, and that's the trend that we actually have seen in 20, 25.People, they want to connect with locals, they want to connect with, you know, with the Berber family, whether it's, you know, cooking class, whether it's shopping, whether it's just tea. So you have it. That's the right way. You're absolutely right, Michael.And that's the biggest difference in, you know, immersing yourself in a culture, because you will enjoy it more, you will create more memories, you will create friendships, you know, that lasts longer before your trip. And that's the beautiful part of it.And also the people that we work with, you know, we work with women's co op, work with, you know, single parents who work with, you know, a lot of travelers, when they go, they bring donations with them. You know, whether we're in the village, whether we're, you know, north side of Morocco, the southern part of Morocco.So, and that's really what makes, you know, that experience so much more than it actually just a trip, like you said, you know, it's a road trip or a vacation. It's very different. Michael.

Well, and I, and I can appreciate that. I think that what I appreciate about your organization, my wife and I, you know, we travel. We haven't tried to Morocco, but we, we do travel.We, you know, we go to our favorite place at the moment is, or actually it has been for years, is Maui. And you know, we, when we first went to Maui, we kind of get, we did that.We were able to go to mom and pop shops and we were able to go to family owned businesses and family owned restaurants, and we've always kind of been that way anyway. But it allows us that now every time we go back, they know us and they treat us like family when we go back, which is a benefit to anybody.And I appreciate the fact that you guys have built like a network of guides and drivers and artisans and families who open their doors to travelers. What does it take to kind of build that trust? I mean, how, how did you guys build that trust, those relationships, it really.

Takes quite a bit of time. It's, it's years. You know, tourism in Morocco is different than anywhere else.There's no really a system, but the network of people, the relationship throughout the years, that's what really give you that credibility, that access.You have access to the inaccessible, for example, to large tour operators or big companies, because you're there, you're from there, you speak their language. And again, when we talk about the language, there are so many native languages that are spoken in different parts of Morocco.And sometimes just you speak to the person with their native tongue. That's a trust 100%, you know, you get access to whatever they have.So it's not just one thing, but it's multiple things that you have to build throughout the years. So. And you have to be patient and they have to trust you from that perspective.

It was interesting when I was doing some of the research. They speak French there, too, in certain areas, which I'm not real, real, real fluent in French, but I do speak French.And I think that would give me an. I don't know if it would give me an adventageous opportunity there.

Yes, well, I mean, French is very common. We were a French colony at some point.So French language is well spoken anywhere you go in Morocco, especially the southern part, in the middle part of Morocco, the north part. Spanish is well spoken there.But now English is the new trend, if you would, in many different ways, because now instead of students learning English in high school, now they're learning it in first grade, for example. So that's a huge advantage. And also the US has donated 250 million to the Moroccans. So the Moroccan system will implement English.And that really made the French kind of mad. But it's good in terms of tourism.When you're traveling to Morocco, you will be able to speak to anyone, because everybody, especially in the tourism industry, a minimum of five languages are spoken. If it's just a vendor in the market or local guide or national guide or tour leader. So in terms of languages, they speak quite a bit.So French is almost a given because we all, most of us grew up learning French in school. Then, you know, yeah, English and Spanish, you know, Italian, German. Yeah, for sure.

That's very cool.Actually, I think that, what, what a very proactive approach the community has taken in regard to being able to connect with other people and to engage with people. And I think that's a, that's a brilliant way of doing it.Because language, language is sometimes a barrier when we Travel, and it puts more people at ease when we go someplace. And at least we understand.

Absolutely.

From the perspective. So how long have you guys been in business? Is there something that. Whose idea was it, by the way? Yours or your wife's or.I mean, that's a trick question, right?

It really was. It is a trick question, Michael. And here's the funny part. I always tell the same story.You know, as we age, we get old, trouble becomes a little bit more, you know, challenging. And when our son was born, we want him. We know he's born in the U.S. he's American, but also we wanted him to know his roots when he grows up.So it was very important for us that he knows about Morocco, and that's why we really created the company. He's 10 years old now, and he went to Morocco three or four times. He speaks the language fluently, and he loves it.So when we go to shows, he's there with me at the booth. And he does a better job than I do selling Morocco. So it's natural to him, which is just incredible to watch.

Do you think it's challenging for those of us I don't have, My kids are grown, but grandkids or people with small kids, you think it's a challenge for people who have kids or. Let me try that question again. In traveling to Morocco, can we travel as a family?Is it easy or is it difficult for those of us that have a family that want to travel?

It really depends. Very good question, Michael. It normally is challenging with the family. That's what they really think. But it's not. And it could be.It could be if you just plan the itinerary for yourself, not including the kids.But the best way to plan an itinerary with the kids, for a family with kids, they really have to include the kids and the activities for the kids, because the kids may not be interested in. In. In shopping. They may not be interested in history. They want to do something that it's fun. They want to go to the swimming pool.They just want to stay at the Riad or the hotel and just chill and swim. So when you build an itinerary for the kids, they will have an amazing time. And the good side effect of it is that the parents and.And, you know, and grandparents will be happy as well.

Right.

So. And also it can be split, you know, know, because it is a private tour. So if. If the.If the kids want to do something, then the parents or the grandparents, they want to do something else. We can split them.So Some, you know, like a local guide, will stay with the kids, then the rest will do their activities and they'll meet up again afterwards. So. But it's very important to include the kids in the itinerary.

Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think so too. Because, I mean, obviously we, you know, my niece is.Especially my niece, one of my nieces, she and her husband have small children. And as they grew up, they felt that they wanted to immerse them in different cultures and different societies.So they've traveled to Taiwan and to Japan and to Australia and different areas where the kids, even at 6, 7, you know, 5, 6, 7, 8 years old, they're learning that there's different cultures and societies out and how to immerse themselves in that and what they brought to us because, you know, we have people that live here, we talked about this a little bit ago, that have immigrated from all over the world, and they bring those cultures to, even to here, to the United States. So it gives us a better understanding of how we as society and culture have commonalities.You know, we have differences, but we have commonalities and that different traditions that may be a benefit to each one of us. So I can appreciate that from there. My wife and I love history.And, you know, from a historical perspective, if we travel to Morocco, what kind of history can we expect to kind of learn?

Oh, my goodness. You know, in Morocco, Morocco has thousands and thousands of layers of history that dates back before the Islam came to Morocco.It dates back to the indigenous people of Morocco that are consistent of Jewish people and just people just who didn't have relations, just pagans, basically. You know, there were some people worshiping the sun, the moon, the rocks. So that's what Morocco was, you know, centuries ago.Then, you know, then Islam came and everybody lived, you know, in harmony, peacefully. That. So it's just so many, so many, so many things to know and explore about Morocco in regards to the history. So.And that's one thing that a lot of people know that, you know, when you go to Morocco, a lot of things that you see, even the food, the food is 85% Jewish. You know, it's our culture, our history, it's very mingled. It's mixed between the Berbers, the Amazigh and the Jewish people community.So a lot of people, when they go to Morocco, they are surprised to find synagogues that are, you know, 1200 years old and they're still in a very good shape. You'll see a synagogue in a village that dates back, you know, to the 8th century. So it's, that's the type of history that you'll see in Morocco.You'll see some of the old, some of the new. And it's just fascinating and just amazing.You know, you can see, you know, the ardent culture from different dynasties in Morocco, whether the Moravids, whether, you know, the Sajin dynasty than the Alawid dynasty, which is the current dynasty in Morocco that has been have been in power since the 17th century.And it's funny because Muhammad III, the Sultan Muhammad III, which is the grand grand grandfather of Muhammad VI, the current king, was, you know, Morocco was the first country to recognize United States as an independent country back in 1776, which is about one year after the independence. So it's, in terms of history, it's just, it's, you have to go, you have to see it. You will love it.

Phenomenal. From there. Yeah.It, it's the one thing that we're, well, my wife is she's going to retire here in a few years and once she retires, we're going to do.We have many, many plans to travel as much as we possibly can because it seems like, you know, time just is going fast and going too fast and we want to go and experience more like everybody else. I think that it's an opportunity in Morocco.I think it's an opportunity for us to I've only seen it in the movies, I've only seen it in television programs. But it's always intrigued me to a point that I would love to go there, nightlife and things like that.Obviously, I won't say how old I am, but you can see the gray in my hair.We're not real big on, you know, parties and, you know, dance clubs and that kind of stuff, obviously, for nightlife, for how can I say this eloquently for older individuals, we'll do it that way. How does that play a factor?

That's a really good question. Okay, I'll talk about the nightlife in terms of, you know, when I was in my 20s and what I have experienced in Morocco in my 30s.There are clubs everywhere you go. And normally this is unique, I think, to Morocco. Every hotel, they have their own private nightclub.But then there are some that are just, you know, outside that you can go to that they're specific, that's, you know, they open maybe around 10pm and all the nightclubs in Morocco close at 5 in the morning. So you can just imagine the partying. There's no alcohol. You know, the alcohol keeps being served until five in the morning.There's no like in the us there's no restriction in terms of time. So that's what the young really people do in terms of, you know, the nightlife.Now in for me in my, I am in my mid-50s, so when I go to Morocco, I still want to enjoy the nightlife, but I don't want to do it until 5 in the morning, maybe 10. So we do, we do a dinner and a show and those are fascinating. They're just incredible. And again, they are part of the culture.So you can do a dinner and show really, really nice immersive experience as well. And the show, you know, there's so many different shows. You talk in 30, 40, 50 different shows in different places. So you'll never get bored.The food will be amazing, the show will be incredible. So there's so many different places that you can go and experience that.And I think, you know, you know, in my age, I think those are a little bit more fitted areas for me to be seen versus versus a club or a nightclub that it's just, you know, I look up you and it's like, hey, uncle.

Five in the morning, I'm no 10 o', clock, we're in bed now. That's, that's cool. Your podcast, you have a podcast. What inspired you to start the podcast? You got over 100 episode.It's become kind of a gateway for people to kind of people, especially people dreaming of going to, to Morocco from that, what kind of, what surprises you the most about, about the podcast and, and, and what can people learn?

That's a really good question.What inspired us to really start the podcast is during the pandemic, we had the luxury of time and I was doing some homework and just learn about business and really dissecting the travel industry in Morocco and how we can make it better. What can we do? What can we add to the table? What can we delete or avoid in terms of experiences?I was really listening to Donald Miller's podcast Business Made Simple. So I got a lot of ideas from it. But also it gave me the idea or his suggestion say, hey, if you don't have a podcast, this is a good time to start.So I looked at it in a way as, you know, you have an Instagram account, you have a Facebook page, a LinkedIn page. Podcast is just an additional social media, if you would, or a media. So we created the podcast and the producer instead is.He has been with me since then and he does an amazing, amazing job. And I remember Vividly. When he. When we created the podcast, he asked me, what do you want to do? You want to make money?And I said, no, I don't want to make money off of the podcast, but I want to create good content for people to enjoy. And hopefully they can go. They can book with us. Yes, they can go. So what surprised me the most, these are real numbers.Probably 98% of people who listen to the podcast, they. They plan their own trip because we really make it that easy for them, because all the information is right there.Just, you know, dedicate some time to listen to the episodes. You know, we have, you know, cultural episodes, what to do, what to pack scams.And then that 2%, those people, they want us to book it for them from A to Z. They don't want to do anything. They just.They don't want to worry about anything because it is a complex destination and itinerary, if you would, Michael. So we build everything for them from scratch. There's a process that we follow until the itinerary is just exactly what they want.And what surprised me the Most is the DMs, the messages that we get from people. Hey, thank you. The scam episode really saved me from this happening to me.Whether it's in the square or whether, you know, in those, you know, small alleyways in Marrakesh or fast, and they were about to be scammed. So, you know, just hitting those DMS and those messages really, really makes a difference, you know, all over the world.I mean, we get those messages, and it just. It's heartwarming, really, Michael, because it makes us feel like we're doing something right and we want to continue to do it. So the content.Sometimes when we talk about scams specifically, there are some harsh things that we say. We say them out of love for Morocco because we want things to improve in terms of experiences and stuff like that. We love Morocco. I get jealous.It hurts when somebody speaks negatively about Morocco. But at the same time, we need to bring awareness to what you expect and. And so forth. So that's what really surprised me the most. And then in.Recently, we. We realized that the podcast now is taking, you know, it's. It's becoming kind of separate entity or a business, if you would, Michael.In the past, he was just, you know, the. The umbrella is the tour company now. It's like they're being separated in a way.

All right. I have to say I appreciate that as an individual that teaches people how to podcast with a purpose and not necessarily look at it.A monetary perspective of it. Our compliments to you for that.Because I believe that you've created a podcast with purpose, and in doing so, that it has now organically grown into something that is a benefit to. To not only your company and yourself, but a benefit to those that are listening to it. And that's, you know, that's. That's brilliant.So thank you for taking that approach. I appreciate that very much.You've heard my conversation with Douglas Brewer about intentional travel, travel that deepens compassion and expands our understanding of the world in general. We spoke about that right before we started.You know, that I think that we should immerse ourselves in other societies and cultures to understand, because we all belong to the same family. How do you think Morocco transforms the people who visit it?

Oh, my God, 100%.It transforms them in the most beautiful way, in the most magical way, because saying goodbyes in Morocco is always the most difficult part of their journey, of their trip, of their experience, because of the connections that they have made with the locals. You know, in Morocco, we're very fortunate and we're very grateful. We have so many places and things to do and see.But also what makes Morocco unique, really, is its people. The people are just beyond incredible, and they really. You will feel their warmth, you will feel their hospitality.So that's what really makes that difference. Extremely unique in that regard.

Michael, that's valuable when we travel. That's valuable. I think it gives us an.It's more personal, and I think personal is what we need when it comes especially with travel, because we're in a foreign land, a foreign city, a foreign environment, and anytime we go there, so we have apprehension. You, you know, you have anxiety, you know, and I know people aren't going to admit to that, but everybody will get a little anxiety.Am I going to get lost? Am I going to be okay? Am I going to, you know, this going to happen? That we can travel anywhere.Paris, we can travel London, we can travel Ireland, we can go to Scotland. No matter Spain, no matter where you go, there's going to be scams. No matter where you go, there's going to be pickpockets come to the United States.I was a cop. I can guarantee you. Especially we had a whole Colorado Springs area is full of tourists. There's so many.The Pikes Peak and Cave of the Winds and Cliff Dwellings and Air Force Academy. The list goes on. And where.Where are the people getting ripped off and people getting scammed at Cave of the Winds, at Cliff Dwellers and Pike Speed and the cog railway and, you know, ski. Ski resorts and anywhere we go. I think that that happens.So, you know, I appreciate the fact you're taking a proactive approach in regard to educating people, that when you travel someplace, you have to be aware. You have to be aware of your surroundings, be aware of what's going on, enjoy yourself, but also be aware, which I think is, you know, important.And I've listened to those episodes on your podcast, podcasts. I think they're very educational and it's an opportunity for people to get a better understanding. I know that we just talked about so many things.Morocco's offers both an escape and enlightenment. And I.And I think that whether it be learning history, learning about food, learning about the people, the culture, anything along that area, even from a spiritual perspective. Perspective. What do you think travelers discover most about themselves when they slow down and truly connect with that culture in Morocco?

Oh, my goodness, I love that question. They really, when that happens, you're right. They discover so many things about themselves, what they are made of. And again, travel makes you.It really changes you in the most positive way. They become a little bit more tolerant to things not going the right way. They become more understanding.They become, you know, self awareness, if you would. And then, you know, we've had this so many times, and I have to bring the same experience.I know we did a couple from New Zealand, Rochelle and her husband, and we did the Berber experience, and they went to a cave, that family still lives in a cave. And they had the Moroccan mentee with them. And she said that experience really changed her life.When they went back to New Zealand, that's something that stood out throughout the whole trip. And they have traveled the world. So it's just something very simple.And she was like, I could not believe how people seem so happy with not having so much. It just put things in perspective for them. So it makes them feel, I would say, a little bit more, you know, relatable, if you would.So that's what Morocco really does to you, especially traveling to. To a destination that a lot of people, they're not certain what to expect, what to see, and they are afraid and have a lot of concerns.

And I think that that's an opportunity for them to feel more relaxed when they travel. It gives them the, I think the confidence, I think gives them the confidence, which I appreciate what role does from.If we travel to Morocco, whether it be through your company or on our own, because obviously we know that you have wonderful opportunities for your company. We'll Talk about that here in a little bit.But even if somebody travels there alone, what kind of cultural immersion is essential to help understand the Moroccan? What. What would we. What would you suggest that we do before we go? Should we. Should we prepare ourselves? Should we.Is there something we can do as an individual or a family or husband and wife or boyfriend, girlfriend, or whatever the case may be? Something that we can do, that we can prepare for before we go?

That's a really, really good question, Michael. I think anywhere you're trying to go, I think you need to do the same thing.Morocco is definitely no different, but it's very unique and different destination where I would say, you know, give it maybe a couple of weeks, learn something about the country. You know, I don't want to sound biased, but we do have, you know, the native Moroccan language, Darija.We have about 102 videos, you know, just a little bit of words that you learned that can. That can help you. And it's funny because we.Again, I just came back from Morocco from a tour, and we had, you know, there were about 30 people in that tour. So, you know, navigating, walking through the narrow streets in Fez, there's a lot of bicycles and, you know, motorcycles coming behind you.And they say, belik, belik, which means move out the way, get out of the way. So everybody starts saying, balik, balik.So now, you know, when we came to Marrakesh and we start saying balik, everybody started laughing because they understood what that meant. So, you know, those little words, just few of them will make a huge difference. And again, you know, the most famous is the greeting.You know, in Morocco, it's always good to say salam, which means peace. If somebody says salam to you, just respond salam back, and you're good. You know, it's also good for you.You know, when traveling to Morocco, when you pass by somebody just say it first they look at you. It's like they're really impressed. So there's like, oh, this probably he lives here.He's, you know, probably just a tourist, but, you know, this is where he lives and stuff like that. So what are the best ways? You know, just learn something about the country.Watch whether it's music, local music, national music, you know, sports team. You know, for example, Morocco is into soccer. Watch, you know, learn a little bit about their soccer team.And the soccer team, by the way, is doing really good. You know, maybe buy jersey. You know, if I'm going to Argentina, I want to buy, you know, a message jersey.Or going to Brazil, you know, one of those, you know, small gestures that really go along the way and they, you don't look like you're, you're a tourist or just visiting. Also, the beautiful thing about Morocco, it's a really, really melting pot.So for you to stand out, it's going to be very challenging because you'll see people from all over, all type of walks of lives. It's a very diverse country. So that's what I would do. And also, you know, our podcast, there's so many.So the information online is just beyond incredible.Our podcast, like you said, it's a one stop and you can get your homework done right there and reach out to us if you have some questions, we probably have some answers or direct you to the right person. So that's what I would say.Just do things, little bit of research, look at the weather, what the weather is going to be in terms, what you need to pack, whether it's summer, whether it's spring or, or cold. You know, just little bit of homework, not too much. So it's, it's going to go along the way because you don't want to overdo it again.That's going to be overwhelming for you. So that I, I think that's, that's the right way to do it.

Michael, I think what you had said it best. We want to enjoy Morocco like a native.

Absolutely. Yeah.

And I think no matter where we go, I think that's what we want to do. The, the, the ultimate achievement is for them to. We're, I have to laugh about this. We watch Emily in Paris.We have our, we have our daughter, our oldest daughter, her youngest daughter moved back home with us. So we all love it. And when they did the new season, it was really funny because she spent five seasons trying to immerse herself in France. Right.So this goes back to enjoy it like a, like a native.She stepped out on the street and these bicyclists almost ran her over and she yelled at them in French and the guy turned around and went, the French are so rude. And she went, oh my gosh, you think I'm French? It's like, yeah, I think we all want to achieve that. It was funny. It was funny.You mentioned something a little bit ago about you're taking 30 people into an environment, into the shops or the stores and so forth. What's the most powerful transformation that you've witnessed in a traveler taking that many people?Did they still get the personal with that many people?

They still, because I was Very fortunate to go with them. So there's, you know, there's three of us. There's the national guy, there's me, another gentleman that we cater to them.If they're having breakfast, we look like the waiters. If they're having lunch, we look like the waiters in addition to the waiters, because we want to make sure that everything is. Is.Is done the right way. And they keep saying, no, sit down and eat. And I was like, I used to wait on tables. It's. It. It feels not right. I have to make sure everybody's good.So. And it's. And again, it's part of the culture. It's part of the hospitality. When we have guests, we tend to them ourselves.When you have them at your house, you don't. You know, you don't get somebody else to serve them. It's you who does the serving. So.And again, I will go back to your point, which is that personal touch, that personal connection, and that's what really make, you know, the trip really worth it, the experience really worth it. And then when, again, it was 30 people, because there was. We have local guides, we have drivers, and we have. I took.I called them paparazzi with me, so they got me. When we go on tours that way, we document the whole experience. And there were some challenges during the tour, but so many things that stood out.One of the biggest ones, they said, morocco is colorblind, you know, and that really resonated with me because I remember, you know, when I lived in Morocco, then when I came to the U.S. it's very different. And then the other thing is, they said, everybody seems happy to see us, and they welcome us.And that's really, really genuine feeling and expression because everybody is welcoming the tourists. And, you know, for the second year in a row, Morocco has been the number one destination in Africa. This year, we almost did 20 million visitors.Last year, it was 17.4.So, you know, when you look at the people, the culture, the government, the king, everybody's doing their best to accommodate the tourists, the travelers, and they're doing an amazing, amazing job. And it really shows in the numbers, and it shows in the popularity of the country.When we talk about Morocco, for example, when we talk in terms of Africa, it's very popular. When I talk in terms of Europe, Austria, for example, London, Germany, France, it is very popular.A lot of those countries, they know Morocco probably better than I do. But then when you come to the U.S. the U.S. is still a little bit behind, but they are catching up.And they have been paying attention since, you know, the World cup in Qatar in 2022. So now the World cup in 2026, it's going to be a really an amazing platform for Morocco, for the exposure, for the market. And so it's just, it's.Morocco is becoming really, really hot destination.

For sure, which is a very good thing. Very good. You talk about personal. How can someone plan a trip that feels personal but not packaged?

Oh, that's a good question.When we build an itinerary, Michael, I would say we used to build them in a way, they're really packed, and when we look at them, you have things to do in the morning, you have things to do in the afternoon, then things to do in the, in the evening. So what we have realized that's just too much to do, especially doing it around Morocco, which is a lot of driving.The itineraries that we build, we build them from scratch with the client, whatever they want to see and experience, and that's how we build them. They're very personalized. And then we tend to leave at least the evening off in a way.And we can still include a dinner experience, dinner and a show, for example, experience, or hammam and spa, massage experience and stuff like that. But the first half of the day, you know, that's. Or the first half, yeah, before lunch, that's where we do a lot of things.After breakfast, we'll do a little bit of history, a little bit of monuments and attractions. And then in the afternoon, after lunch, we'll do something light.Then they can, you know, go back to the Riyadh, or if they want to take some time just to be by themselves in the Medina, they'll have that as well. And again, we can arrange a dinner experience for them. If they want to have it outside the Riyadh or inside the Royale.So that way they're still doing quite a bit of things, but it, it just doesn't feel too busy. And they are being from one experience to another experience.

I think that's, you know, that helps us.I think the relaxation part of it, the confidence part of it, the anxiety part of it is taken away when, when you plan something more personal like that.So we don't have to worry about what we're going to do, how we're going to, to do it, where are we going to go, how to communicate, where are we going to eat, you know, because that food, Food. Food is important. It's. It's food in the bathroom. Those two things, especially the older you.

Get I can relate.

Yeah.Well, let's, let's tell everybody how they can get in touch with you and, you know, what you have to offer in regard to that personal aspect of it and how they can benefit with the culture and the opportunity Morocco has to offer.

The.The best way to reach out to us is through our website, destinations morocco.com that's destination is within S morocco.com and also when you go to the website, just schedule a discovery call. Basically it's a 30 minutes, no obligation. We answer all the questions for you and then we can take it from there.Anything else you need and you need help with.So we do plan everything for you from A to Z, from the moment you get to Morocco until the moment you depart, including airport arrivals, departures, accommodations, experiences, local guides, national guides. So, you know, even with the locals, you know, the, the Berber, the Amazigh experiences, a Jewish culture tour, Jewish experience.So anything that you can think of, we definitely will create it for you, like Marcus said, so you can enjoy Morocco like a local. And then we have from there, you can see, you know, you can connect with us in, in our social media platforms as well. Thank you.

And I'll make sure that all that is in the show notes and the link is in the show notes so that they can easily get in touch with you.And it'll have the podcast on there as well and some of your social media, Instagram, LinkedIn, I think, and Facebook and, you know, whatever you have available. So we'll make sure that gets the there. This has been like, amazing as, as, I mean, thank you very much for, for coming on the show.Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom and your words.I appreciate that and your experiences because I think that we can become better travelers, better culturally integrated into other, other environments. So thank you.

Thank you so much again, Michael. I'm, I'm super grateful for this, this opportunity. It's been a lot of fun. It's been amazing. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Don't go away yet. This is one more thing before we go. Absolutely. Words of.Words of wisdom for someone listening right now, or watching someone dreaming of Morocco but unsure where to begin. What's the first step of a meaningful journey?

I would say either listen to our podcast in where you get your podcast, which is Destination Morocco podcast podcast, or go to our website destinations morocco.com and that's really, that's a really good start. You'll get a lot of information.It's going to help guide you to, you know, the type of experience that you want to have the type of tour that you want to have and then get in touch with us and, you know, we'll take care of the rest for you.

Brilliant words of wisdom. Brilliant words of wisdom. Well, as again, thank you very much for being part of of one more thing before you go.It's been an incredible journey today. I appreciate you what you bring and I look forward to maybe another conversation down the road. We should talk again.

I would love that. Thank you so much, Michael.

Today we have learned that Morocco isn't just a destination, it's a conversation. It's a tapestry of history, hospitality, and humanity. A place where stories aren't told, they're lived.Travel is a way of revealing the truth, not just about the world, but about ourselves. It reminds us that connection is universal, that culture is a gift, and that the most meaningful journeys are the ones that change us.Morocco is just one of those journeys. And thanks to storytellers like Azzedine, we are invited to experience it not as outsiders, but as honored guests. That's a wrap for today's episode.I hope you found inspiration, motivation, and a few new perspectives to take with you. If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to, like, subscribe and follow us and stay connected.You can find us on Apple, Spotify or your favorite listening platform and you can head over to YouTube and catch the full video version. Have a great day, have a great week and thank you for being part of our community.So until next time, I'm Michael Hurst and this is One more Thing before you go.

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