Morocco Begging 500 Dirhams Daily Tangier Tourism
The authorities in Tangier have been conducting daily campaigns against begging and homelessness in the medina and main tourist sectors for several weeks. Up to 80 people are reportedly arrested each day before being returned to their city of origin.
According to Hespress, the number of beggars and homeless people being assisted ranges between 50 and 80 per day, or several hundred each week. Operations specifically target busy streets in the city center, where their presence increases significantly during the summer season.
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Sources cited claim that some of the people involved come from distant cities marked by precarity, lack of jobs and weak social services. The influx of tourists to Tangier would represent a particularly lucrative opportunity for them.
Up to 500 dirhams per day
Some professional beggars manage to collect nearly 500 dirhams daily, an amount higher than the daily income of many employees. The generosity of visitors during summer would encourage their regular return to the city.
However, deportations do not permanently solve the problem. A large portion of those removed would return to Tangier as soon as they get the chance, in order not to miss the most profitable weeks of the tourist season.
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Local authorities thus find themselves on the front line facing a phenomenon that also falls under social protection, street children and the fight against poverty. Sources interviewed lament the limited involvement of other actors responsible for social support.
