MARRAKESH – Snake charmers, storytellers and crowds of tourists: the legendary Jamaa El Fna square of this Moroccan city is almost as famous for its number of visitors as its colourful performers.
But with tough government restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the tourism industry on which Marrakesh depends screeched to a halt.
Now, the 11th-century Unesco World Heritage site is almost empty, and the city is facing an unprecedented crisis.
"Before, you had to wait your turn to get a table," said Bachir, a waiter who has worked in the square for two decades, waving at the empty cafe terrace.
His neighbour, Mohamed Bassir, worries for the future.
"This is the first time I've seen Jamaa El Fna so empty," said the orange juice seller, sitting behind his stall decorated in plastic fruit.
"It makes me sad," he said, waiting to squeeze fruit for customers who do not come.
Usually teeming with people, the square lies forlorn and empty of the musicians, souvenir sellers and fortune tellers who ordinarily ply their trade.
Morocco declared a state of health emergency in mid-March and shut its borders to stop Covid-19 from spreading.
The North African nation of 35 million inhabitants has recorded more than 1,500 deaths from the disease and at least 86,600 confirmed cases.
'Collapsed'
In the labyrinth of alleys leading from Jamaa El Fna, the narrow streets once packed with stalls selling everything from slippers to spices are largely shuttered.
Only a few are open, but the shopkeepers have little hope.
"Most of the traders have closed their shops," said Mohamed Challah, who sells flowing kaftan robes.
"The others are opening to kill time because there is nothing to do at home," he said, adding that his store "no longer sells anything".
After the initial pandemic curbs were eased, traders and tourist operators hoped domestic travel would mitigate their losses.
But then, the surprise announcement of new restrictions, including the closure of Marrakesh and seven other cities, shattered hopes of a revival.
Last year, the city attracted three million of the 13 million tourists who came to the country.
For Jalil Habti Idrissi, who runs a 45-year-old travel agency, it will be "very difficult to bounce back".
"We have experienced major crises in the past, but never of this magnitude," he said, adding that his business has "collapsed".
On social media, there are calls to "save" the city, with many using the hashtag "Marrakesh suffocates".
'Colossal losses'
But many are also worried about the Covid-19 crisis itself, posting images of patients suffering from the disease, including some sleeping on the floor of a hospital.
The city's testing laboratories have been overwhelmed.
Marrakesh, along with Morocco's economic capital, Casablanca, is among the most affected cities.
Like all governments, authorities have to weigh lockdown measures against the need to keep the economy alive.
Official figures predict that the pandemic could push the country into its worst recession since 1996, with a contraction of more than 5% of its gross domestic product.
In desperation, some took to the streets to protest, calling on the government for help.
"The coronavirus will not have time to kill us, hunger will take care of it before that," read one banner held by protesters here on September 11.
Tourist operators cling on to a glimmer of hope, with the government allowing travellers not needing a visa to fly to Morocco – upon the presentation of a hotel reservation and a negative virus test.
But it is only a "partial opening of borders", said Ibtissam Jamili, who runs a five-star hotel here, mourning what he called "colossal losses". – AFP, September 19, 2020
