Consumer rights advocates decry preferential treatment for foreigners in Moroccan hotels

As summer approaches, consumer protection advocates are once again raising concerns over alleged discrimination between local and foreign tourists by some hotel establishments.

The Moroccan Consumer Rights Federation called out the continued preference given to foreign tourists in several hospitality units, with complaints including claims that some hotels falsely declare full bookings to push local clients toward paying in foreign currency through booking apps, or require full upfront payment on the first night, contrary to legal norms, which allow payment upon checkout.

Advocates are calling for the introduction of the “mystery guest” — a trained evaluator who poses as a regular customer to assess the quality of service at hotels without revealing their identity — to investigate such practices more thoroughly.