Atas event in Morocco ‘shows touring diversity’


Samantha Mayling Atas Experiences, Morocco


Organisers of the second Atas Experiences trip are confident agents who attended the event in Morocco will help maintain strong sales growth for the north African country. The trip, organised by the


Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas), took place last weekend. During the event, director Claire Brighton revealed Morocco bookings among Atas members for the first quarter were 98% up on last year and said: “After the experiences the agents have had on this trip, I am sure this [growth] will continue.” The three-night event, attended by


more than 50 member agents, featured a range of activities and excursions in the region around Lake Bin el Ouidane in the Atlas Mountains. Brighton said this year’s showcase


was as well received by attendees as the inaugural Experiences trip last year to Lake Como.


Claire Brighton


Morocco in the first quarter of this year were up 30% year on year. She attributed the strong


performance to the fact Morocco is “authentic and less crowded”, as well as increased airlift and ongoing investment in infrastructure. Bennouna highlighted the


“It was difficult to equal the


success of the first Atas Experiences trip but the initial feedback from our delegates suggests we have done exactly that,” said Brighton. “The more remote location of


Bin el Ouidane meant we were able to showcase a completely different side of touring and adventure than we did in Italy and demonstrate to our agents how diverse their options are.” Meryem Bennouna, director


of the Moroccan National Tourist Office for the UK and Ireland, which is an associate member of Atas, said UK visitor numbers to


GOING FOR A SONG: Royal Caribbean hosted 20 agents at Eurovision Song Contest events in Basel last week, with four agents attending the final on Saturday. Agent guests included competition winners who had earned a place by submitting a video entry answering a range of questions, with each scored for the creativity of their entry. Royal Caribbean celebrated its second year as an official contest partner at the 2025 event, which was won by Austrian entrant JJ. From left: John Sullivan, Advantage Travel Partnership; Aaron Langford, Royal Caribbean; Luke Nicol, Hays Travel; David Rowlinson, My Kind of Cruise; and DJ and dancer Raven Mandella.


8 22 MAY 2025 travelweekly.co.uk


importance of the trade, adding: “Agents are needed to tell you about the itinerary; they will really increase our visibility so we are seen as more than just a city-break destination. “We need agents to help clients


[understand] it does not get more adventurous than this.” Zina Bencheikh, EMEA managing


director of Intrepid Travel and Atas chair, predicted visitor numbers to her native country would continue to rise. “I could see Morocco was doing something quite special over the last few years,” she said. “It is not a huge destination in terms of visitors but it’s an emerging destination.” Morocco welcomed 17 million


visitors last year, making it the most popular destination in Africa.


Iglu Cruise resumes selling river sector after five-year gap


Iglu Cruise has expanded its product range into river cruising amid “bold expansion plans”. The move marks a return to


the sector for the online agency, which sold river cruising prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. AmaWaterways, Emerald


Cruises and Scenic are the first operators to join the agency’s new river cruise collection, which will feature itineraries on European waterways alongside rivers in Central America, Africa and Asia. A dedicated river cruise section


went live on the Iglu Cruise website on Monday, with itineraries on the Danube, Douro, Rhine, Mekong and Rhone expected to be among the top sellers. Chief commercial officer


Dave Mills said: “We have many customers who are very keen to see the new range and get out to the scenic waterways of Europe and beyond. “We’re so pleased to increase


our cruise options and forecast growth for the rest of this year and into the future. It’s such an exciting period for cruising.”


PICTURE: Marc Gilgen


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