The Moroccan newspaper Le Matin complains that the kingdom desperately needs funding to rejuvenate Morocco's youth hostels which suffer from a lack of support. There are now 14 hostels in Casablanca, Rabat, Mekhnиs, Fes, Marrakech, Asni, Tanger, Lвayoune, Chefchaouen, Goulmima, Rissani, Azrou, Mehdia and Tenghir. In 2003, an average of 500 nights were spent in Morocco in youth hostels. The main concentrations of tourists are from Canada, Australia, Japan, Denmark, Germany, UK, Egypt, Tunisia and France.
Morocco joined the international youth hostel association in 1936, when the first hostel opened in the main commercial city Casablanca. A few years later, Morocco became the first African and Arab country with its own youth hostel federation. (albawaba.com)
