Morocco: Medina of Marrakech
Score: 63

"For a tourist, and no doubt for a resident as well, the importance of Marrakech is based as much on the vibrancy of its trading activities as on its significant monuments. There are a mass of hotels, restaurants, and boarding houses catering to every pocket."

"The Medina still seems to retain the historic character of its various quarters, as well as the vibrant cultural activity in the square, including storytellers, teeth pullers, etc. Shops around the square, however, are wholly tourism-related. Too many large, impersonal international hotel chains on the margins of the Medina. They remain empty and impersonal, and could be anywhere in the world."

"Too much tourism spoils the authenticity of large parts of the Medina, which more and more are becoming artificial tourist attractions and less the natural environment of the inhabitants. The space in Jemma-el-Fna dedicated to its original function (games, storytellers, snake dancers, show fighters, etc.) is more and more reduced by parking, shops and restaurants. Most of the monuments are in reasonably good condition, but the traditional housing, which is part of the cultural value of the city, is often in poor condition."

"Apart from persistent hawkers, wandering round Medina gives the sensation of going back in time. The architecture; the bustle; the small, crammed shops give it a feeling of authenticity, as does the smell of food wafting through the market, the outdoor eating stalls, and the vibrancy of the participation of local people."

"Morocco as a nation is on a major tourism push and is really trying to boost mass tourism, [to the extent] that they could go too far."