|
|
| Home > City Guide - Marrakech - Business | ||
|
||
|
Business Business Profile As the city where southern tribesmen and northern Berber villagers meet and trade, Marrakech is second only to Casablanca as a commercial hub in Morocco. Since the Government embarked on a major programme of economic liberalisation in the early and mid-1990s as a response to a severe recession in the 1980s, Marrakech has become more receptive to foreign investment and trade. The main industrial enterprises around Marrakech are flour-mills, milk processing plants, breweries, canning factories and cement production plants. Mining is also set to grow with the discovery of large zinc deposits near Marrakech and there are numerous oil and gas fields in the nearby Essaouira region. In the late 1990s, foreign investment in Morocco, led mainly by France and the United States, more than doubled thanks to the privatisation of the country’s oil industry and the opening up of the banking sector. Shell, Mobil, Total and Elf are some of the leading foreign investors in Morocco and look likely to be joined by companies in other sectors as Morocco has one of the best transport infrastructures in Africa. Marrakech looks set to benefit, although the city is still dependent on tourism, which contributes about 7.8% of GDP. The city has excellent conference facilities for over 5000 people at the Hôtel Pullman Mansour Eddahbi, Avenue de France, Guéliz (tel: (04) 446 142; website: www.congrès.mar.com), and at the Palais de Congrès, Avenue de France, Guéliz (tel: (04) 448 990). Unemployment in the city is still quite high: official figures place unemployment at 13.6%, although other figures suggest it lies somewhere between 20-25% of the adult population. Business Etiquette Residents of Marrakech have a reputation for warmth, humour and directness, so it is unnecessary to be too formal when doing business in the city. In personal business communication, plain speaking and a willingness to make eye contact are much appreciated. However, over-casualness can be interpreted as rudeness or laziness so businesspeople should maintain a smart appearance, even though suits are not expected in the hot weather. Appointments for meetings should be made in advance and punctuality is respected. Negotiations often involve a great deal of bargaining and a visitor should expect to deal with a number of people. Although many executives speak English, French is the preferred language of commerce in Morocco. The normal business hours are 0830-1200 and 1430-1830 Monday to Friday (0900-1500 Monday to Friday during Ramadan). The Moroccans are immensely hospitable people but do also expect courtesy from their guests. If invited to a Moroccan’s home, it is customary to take a small gift for the women and children (sweets or pastries). Refreshments will always be offered, usually mint tea and it is impolite to refuse. Visitors should expect to be given up to three glasses. In addition, hands should be washed before all meals, which should be eaten with the right hand alone. Visitors should not smoke, eat or drink in public during Ramadan. At other times, it is sensible to be guided by the host. It is wise to refrain from asking for alcohol if it is not readily visible – the rules of hospitality require the host to provide it and this may be in conflict with his religious beliefs. While Morocco is an Islamic country it is very liberal by Middle Eastern standards so businesswomen should not feel intimidated when working in the country. They are advised, however, to dress conservatively and hemlines should definitely be below the knee. |
||
