Shop At The Medina In Marrakesh Without Leaving Home
While the coronavirus pandemic might stop you from visiting Morocco, this doesn’t stop you buying great hand-crafted items and supporting small local businesses.
The time of COVID-19 is difficult for the travel industry and travelers as a whole. However, it is also having a drastic effect on small local businesses all over the world. A company called Intrepid Travel is launching two pilot online shopping experiences, aimed at letting people buy hand-crafted artifacts from Morocco. At the same time, this will help small businesses and local artisans, who would otherwise not be able to sell their goods.
Go shopping in Marrakesh
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the travel industry, as well as small businesses in many countries, which would normally make a living selling to tourists. This new idea is set to help shoppers buy great items from around the world, while small businesses and local artisans can benefit from the experience.
Rather than purchasing from online retail giants, that, as we know have quite enough money, these new experiences will allow people to enjoy shopping, while interacting with local artisans in Marrakesh.
The new online experiences offer people from all over the world a chance to purchase from the local artisans in Marrakesh. Once purchased, the items are then shipped to the buyer’s door.
Marrakesh Spice and Wellness Experience
The first online offer is the Marrakesh Spice and Wellness Experience to be held on December 8. This experience will focus on Koutoubia Herbal, a small shop in the medina.
Shoppers will meet Marrakesh native, Abdeljalil Raqas, online, who will introduce them to locally-made Argan-based skincare, hamam and spa products, herbs and spices and perfume.
Moroccan Berber Rug Experience
On December 9, a traditional Moroccan Berber Rug Experience is to be held. Here shoppers can browse and purchase at Dar Mjber store. The store sources rugs from different tribes throughout Morocco. The rugs are handmade by women of the tribes, which also ensures employment for women in the rural communities of Morocco.
During the experience, shoppers will meet local artisan, Aziz Mejbar, who will tell the story behind the historic and memorable rug they are purchasing.
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Both these tours also visit AlNour, a Moroccan social enterprise that offers training programs in artisan skills, as well as childcare for disabled women in an effort to help them enjoy a sustainable livelihood. The social enterprise also ensures that the money ends up in the locals’ hands, with all proceeds from the sales going directly to the NGOs, artisans and local guides.
Both online experiences will take place at 7 am EST on the dates mentioned above. The cost of each experience will be around $12 (€10).
If these shopping experiences really take off, this could spread and allow shoppers to make their purchases from other countries throughout the world. This would go towards benefitting the shopper with great hand-crafted wares, and also helping small businesses and local artisans thrive during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Find out more information about the online experiences on Intrepid Travel’s official website.
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