Morocco (© Image Bank)
With a short flying time and pleasant temperatures, North Africa is vying with the Canaries for winter sun holidays, but how do your clients choose which country to visit?
Travel Weekly gets the lowdown on what not to miss in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and the type of client suited to each.
Morocco
Fun in the sun?
Of all the countries in North Africa, Morocco – with its mountains, beaches, deserts and green countryside – is the most diverse. Christened the Far East of the short-haul (with a flying time of just under four hours), popular Marrakesh offers trekking in the Atlas mountains, souks for buying spices or mint tea and plenty of riads – the local boutique-style accommodation.
Coastal Agadir is well set-up for tourism and home to Morocco’s premier beaches. Here, clients can enjoy a variety of water sports including diving or snorkelling and a drink in one of the many licensed hotels around the resort. To the east, lesser-known Fes is a miniature version of Marrakesh with fewer tourists and more evidence of the country’s history, while laid back Essaouira – north of Agadir and part of the 60s hippy trail (Jimmy Hendrix once owned a house here) – has deserted beaches and a generous amount of rooftop pools.
Twin-centre city and beach holidays are also popular with Marrakesh and Essaouira a favourite, alongside Marrakesh and Agadir.
Who does it suit?
Older families and couples with an interest in culture.
Sample product
Classic Collection offers a seven-night Marrakesh and Essaouira twin-centre from £941 per person twin-share including five-star riad accommodation – three nights in Marrakesh and four nights in Essaouira – flights, private transfers and breakfast.
Tunisia (© Image Bank)
Tunisia
Fun in the sun?
Notably smaller, Tunisia has traditionally been a favourite with families with its long stretch of coastline and hotels set up for children. The coastal resorts of Hammamet, Port el Kantaoui, Sousse and Monastir are popular for a week’s beach break, while the medina of Tunis attracts visitors interested in archeology.
With its flat surface and good infrastructure, Tunisia is good for exploring, with the Roman remains at Dougga and the mosaics in the Bardo Museum firmly on the tourist trail. The Sahara desert is also a big draw for those with an interest in culture and children appreciate the Star Wars tours. The tourist office is confident of reaching its 360,000 UK visitor target by the end of this year, an achievement it attributes to the varied product in the country.
More five-star hotels are being built – most with thalassotherapy spa treatments – and new golf courses are appealing to weekenders who can be on the green within three hours of leaving London. Old properties are also being converted into boutique hotels, adding to the range of accommodation on offer and drawing a higher spending client.
Who does it suit?
Families and couples with an interest in culture, archeology, spas or golf.
Sample product
Wigmore Holidays has a week in Hammamet starting at £499 per person twin-share including flights, five-star accommodation, transfers and breakfast in November. Children under 12 start at £374.
Egypt
Fun in the sun?
Egypt and the Red Sea Riviera – the coastal area between Egypt and Israel – are a perennial favourites that continue to boom. With short flying times, pleasant year-round temperatures, and a mixture of culture and beach product – plus value for money – operators have been heaping on extra flights and snapping up bed capacity.
Rumours of price increases have recently been quashed in the light of the bombings in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Visitors to mainland Egypt favour Nile cruises, often combining a seven-night cruise with a stop off in Cairo to see the famous Pyramids and a few nights in Luxor, the gateway to ancient Egypt. In the Red Sea, the resorts of Sharm, El Gouna, Hurghada and newcomer Soma Bay remain a haven for beach-lovers and divers alike with a good choice of four and five-star hotels.
Who does it suit?
The Red Sea continues to attract younger couples and families, while Egypt attracts older couples with an interest in archeology and culture.
Sample product
Cosmos brochures seven nights’ all-inclusive from £665 per person including flights and a Nile cruise.
Libya (© Image Bank)
Libya
Fun in the sun?
It’s only in the past 12 months that Libya has been considered a holiday destination, but with P&O Cruises and Cox and Kings now firmly in the country, it looks set to become a popular winter sun spot. Three times the size of France, Libya’s north coast has a Mediterranean climate (but no beaches) with cool mid-summer temperatures, while the central deserts get very humid.
Famous for Roman and Greek ruins, visitors can fly daily to Tripoli – the country’s capital and home of the only five-star hotel – and travel two hours west for the Roman ruins of Sabratha or an hour-and-a-half east for those of Leptis Magna. The Greek ruins of Cyrene can be found on the far east side of the country. Ghadames – Libya’s desert town – is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the gateway for excursions into the dunes.
The country’s infrastructure is generally good, but road journeys between some sites can take up to 12 hours. There are domestic airlines in operation but visitors are advised not to travel on them due to ageing aircrafts. Accommodation is also in short supply with Bales pulling out last year due to limited room capacity. However, a hotel building programme is underway to cater for the expected increase in visitors in the future. Unlike Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, Libya is strictly Muslim so holidaymakers must cover up and avoid drinking alcohol.
Who does it suit?
Older couples and single holidaymakers with an interest in history and archeology. The country is not set up for families or the package holiday market.
Sample product
Cox and Kings has an eight-day tour from £1,075 per person taking in Leptis Magna, Sabratha and Ghadames and including flights, accommodation, all excursions and most meals.
