Northern soul


A new LGBTQ-led company is opening up inclusive travel in Morocco, finds Noni Ware


DESTINATIONS MOROCCO | LGBTQ+ TRAVEL


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w PICTURE: Shutterstock/ecstk22 travelweekly.co.uk


e believe in actions that echo through the valleys of Morocco, creating lasting positive change for both people and the planet,” says


Bilal El Hammoumy, co-founder of Inclusive Morocco. The DMC, set up in 2020 in Tangier, lays claim to being


the first LGBTQ-led luxury travel company based in Morocco, aiming to combine unusual and immersive itineraries with a goal “to advocate for a more inclusive world where undermined communities are given a chance to engage, learn and earn”. My journey north – through Casablanca, Fez, Rabat and Tangier – was a trip that would reveal the stories of the people who live here, along with the artisans and enterprising women effecting change. It is still difficult for women in Morocco to find work, with only


around one in five women currently employed. Our driver, Nisrine Zalagh, left her office job seven years ago and was overjoyed to find a company that would employ her. “Travelling has always been a passion, but being a female driver helped me discover areas that I probably would not have thought of visiting,” she says.


COLLECTIVE ACTION Our first destination was Casablanca, which, aside from the legendary Rick’s Cafe, is often overlooked. It was once a small fishing village but is now Morocco’s largest city, with architectural styles that reference Portuguese and French influences. It’s home to the Royal Mansour Casablanca, a luxurious 149-room offshoot of its more famous Marrakech sister, which opened in April 2024. From here, we travelled on to Fez, via Rabat and the Unesco-listed


Roman ruins in Volubilis. The medina in Fez is far less crowded than its counterpart in Marrakech, and remains focused on industry and Chefchaouen craftsmanship, with copper pots beaten in the sun and indigo dyers


5 JUNE 2025 ² 51


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