Formalities for entering Morocco
A valid passport is necessary. Congress participants of certain nationalities need a visa to enter Morocco, for which they need to go through the necessary administrative procedures at the Consulate or Embassy of Morocco in their country of residence. They are strongly advised to apply for a visa well in advance of their departure. For travellers from Europe or America, no vaccination is required to enter the Moroccan territory. For any further information, do not hesitate to consult the website of the Moroccan Foreign Office: www.maec.gov.ma

Air Transport

Royal Air Maroc is the official carrier for the 49^th UIA Congress. You may benefit from the special rates for congress participants if you reserve you tickets through their call centres or directly at the airline’s offices upon presentation of your UIA Congress registration confirmation. For more information, click here.

Arrival

Saiss airport in Fez is located 15 km from the town centre. City/airport transfers by bus will be available every 35 minutes. A taxi stand is also available right in front of the airport. The ride will cost around 200 DH. A shuttle service will be available to transport passengers to their hotels for the first few days of the congress.

Banks/Exchange

Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There are several ATMs at your service for cash withdrawals in the city or in hotels.

Currency

Morocco’s monetary unit is the Dirham (DH). The exchange rates are as follows:

1 Dirham = 0.090 Euros

1 Euro = 11 Dirhams

The import and export of Dirhams is forbidden. Banks and hotels change currency at the official exchange rates. Credit cards are generally accepted in hotels, restaurants and boutiques, and sometimes even in the souks.

Languages

Along with traditional Arabic (language used by the administration and media), the everyday language spoken in Morocco is dialectal Arabic. Most Moroccans speak French, though many speak Spanish and English.

Clothing

Morocco enjoys a pleasant climate, with hot summers. Temperatures can rise fairly high and at the time of the Congress,the temperature will still be high. Light clothes are recommended for the duration of the Congress.

Dress code for various social events:

Opening ceremony and welcome cocktail: business attire

Informal dinner, home hospitality dinner and general excursion: Casual wear

Closing dinner: Formal but comfortable clothes

All dinners will be in the open-air

Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine uses a sophisticated combination of sun-ripened vegetables and fruit, rare and fragrant spices, delicate fish and tasty meats: méchoui (lamb roasted on skewers or in the oven), couscous (the traditional family meal on Fridays; during your journey, you will be able to taste a thousand different types of couscous), pastilla (a fine puff pastry stuffed with pigeon and almonds), tajine (a braised meat, poultry, fish and vegetable stew), mint tea and pastries (honey cakes, gazelles’ horn, almond or dry raisin feqqas, almond and sesame ghoriba and much more).

Tourism in Fez

Morocco’s spiritual and cultural centre, Fez is a city full of history and riches. Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1976, this medieval city has been renovated and its medina – one of the oldest and largest in the kingdom – will surprise you by its souks, foundouks, mosques, fountains and ancestral handicraft.

During your stay in Fez, you will be able to visit the Andalusian district in Fez, the prestigious El Karaouyine University, the madarsas, the tanners’ and potters’ district, the Wood Arts Museum, etc.

Shopping

Morocco is known for its fine handicrafts, particularly Fez, where you will find many objects of interest in copper, bronze, wood, leather and silver in the bazaars and craftsmen’s cooperatives (lanterns, slippers or babouches, bags, jewellery, embroidered tablecloths, decorative items, carpet, etc.).