Hicham Mhammedi Alaoui ’08’s Company Immerses Travelers in Morocco

Of all the places he has traveled to, perhaps the one Hicham Mhammedi Alaoui ’08 found most surprising was Princeton.

He grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, and had been to the United States for only two brief visits, one of them to Disney World. Upon arriving at Princeton as a freshman, Alaoui discovered that his American classmates were “blissfully ignorant” about the rest of the world, including his home country. “Not only not knowing,” he says, “but not caring.” Most couldn’t even find Morocco on a map.

Image

Courtesy of Hicham Mhammedi Alaoui ’08

“I had to take what I would call a humble pill at Princeton,” he says. “There was a certain arrogance [among young Americans].” Coming, as he did, from a country with centuries of history, “I was kind of baffled.”

Alaoui now does what he can to help Americans understand Morocco and other countries and cities around the world. He is the co-founder of Experience Morocco, an immersive tourism company. This isn’t the old-fashioned type of tourism where travelers are forced to march through a country-a-day. Rather, it offers a deep dive into Morocco’s history, geography, cuisine, and culture.

After swallowing his humble pill at Princeton and majoring in the School of Public and International Affairs, Alaoui spent four years at Google, working in marketing and sales before going to Harvard for an MBA. That is where he turned his career sights to tourism.

Several B-school friends wanted to visit Morocco and asked Alaoui to recommend places to see. Finding that none of the existing travel agencies were recommending tours that seemed authentic, Alaoui decided to arrange some himself. He co-founded Experience Morocco in September 2013.

Image

The square in the blue city of Chefchaouen, Morocco.

Olenatur/Adobe Stock

After using his fellow MBA students as travel guinea pigs, Alaoui decided to focus on what he calls the luxury side of the tourism business by building relationships with U.S. travel agencies. Experience Morocco offers a range of immersive trips, but they are not for the casual tourist or those on a tight budget. No prices are listed on the website so interested travelers must reach out to get a quote. 

For most customers, Experience Morocco begins with a long video call to get a sense of what they want to see, where they have been, and how they prefer to travel. For first-time visitors, Alaoui recommends a seven-night itinerary, visiting the capital city of Rabat; Fes, known for its culture and architecture; Marrakech, with its nightlife, monuments, and arts district; and even an overnight “glamping” (glamorous camping) trip into the Sahara — camel ride optional. But there are also half a dozen other cities and places in Morocco one could visit.

Tours can be created around particular themes such as yoga and wellness or exploring Jewish heritage. If you are into modern art, they can steer you to some of the best galleries around the country. If you’re a foodie, they might arrange a special tour of Moroccan street food or local cooking classes. For families traveling with small children, they have even arranged a scavenger hunt in Medina. 

Besides selecting the best places to visit, Experience Morocco handles all arrangements. “When you come to us, we’re providing your accommodation, your meals, your transfers,” Alaoui says. “But I think we really shine best when we’re able to recommend experiences.”

Image

The Hassan II Mosque at sunset in Casablanca, Morocco.

Bitzo_bs/Adobe Stock

From Morocco, Alaoui and his partners are branching into nine new markets, offering immersive tours to Italy, Spain, East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda), the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Mexico. All can be found at their new website, Travelcollection.co.

Although Morocco receives about 14 million visitors a year, it’s still largely off the radar for Americans. Alaoui says that Americans tend to travel differently than Europeans — they start their days earlier, go later, and prefer to stick to the itinerary — and that Experience Morocco caters to those preferences.

The Moroccan tourist bureau has been actively marketing the country in the U.S., and those efforts are beginning to pay off. Several U.S. airlines, including United, American, and Delta, now offer direct flights to Morocco, and the world’s attention will turn there in 2030 when Morocco jointly hosts the FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Whether the next wave of U.S. tourists are soccer fans, adventurers, or those seeking a place a little off the beaten path, Experience Morocco will be ready to show them around.

“We just understand Americans better than our competitors,” Alaoui says.