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MOROCCO TOURISM IS GROWING AND ACCESS TRIPS POPULAR MOROCCO CULINARY TOUR GIVES INSIDER ACCESS TO EXPLORE THIS RICH CULTURE THROUGH ITS AUTHENTIC CUISINE

 19% Growth in American Tourism Arrivals to Morocco Illustrates Increasing Popularity of Destination as Tour Becomes Access Trips' Most Sought-After Trip

SEATTLE (April 7, 2015) – American tourism to Morocco experienced a 19% increase over the past four years years, with nearly 229,000 American travelers visiting Morocco in 2014**, illustrating the growing popularity of the destination. And during that time period, the Morocco Culinary Tour with Access Trips has risen to become the company's most popular trip, with bookings for the trip growing by 43% in the last 3 years.

Morocco embodies a rich blend of Arabic, Berber, French and Spanish influences, and Access Trips guests explore this historic culture through its renowned cuisine on a 9-day Moroccan culinary tour of this ancient crossroads of civilization. Starting in vibrant Casablanca and ending in storied Marrakech with coastal, mountain, and rural visits along the way, the tour is an immersion in the foods and traditions of Morocco.

During the trip, guests will learn to cook authentic Moroccan cuisine from local chefs, discovering techniques and recipes for traditional foods such as tagines, couscous and pastilla. Throughout the trip, guests are immersed in Moroccan culture, as they share tea with a village family, hone their bargaining skills at souks – fresh food and spice markets run by local villagers – and taste the region's many culinary influences at authentic local restaurants.

Guests will experience Morocco with an insider's access, through one-of-a-kind experiences that general travelers may not uncover. For example, on one morning in the High Atlas Mountains, guests travel to the local market in the same way as many of the locals, taking a donkey along ancient trails through olive and fruit groves, to purchase food for their cooking class. The donkeys wait in the “donkey parking lot” while the group shops and enjoys snacks of local kebabs at a cozy picnic table. Afterwards, the donkey carries the goods back to the riad, taking the path of a local food tradition that has existed for hundreds of years.

Highlights of the Moroccan Cooking tour feature memorable experiences including:

• Cook Authentic Cuisine: Learn how to cook Moroccan cuisine, such as fish tagine with chermoula and traditional Moroccan couscous, in five engaging cooking classes with expert local chefs
• Embrace the Culture: Experience legendary Moroccan hospitality while being treated to mint tea in the home of a local family, in a tiny Berber village located in the High Atlas Mountains
• Shop Like a Local: Visit traditional markets to shop for produce and locally-made crafts, with a donkey to carry purchases back to the  riad
• Idyllic Hike: Take a guided hike to a picturesque waterfall in the High Atlas Mountains
• City and Country Highlights: Enjoy cosmopolitan Casablanca, absorb the magic of vibrant Marrakech and discover the charming fishing town of Essaouira
• Stunning Accommodations: Well-appointed accommodations throughout the trip in five-star hotels and boutique riads – traditional Moroccan guesthouses

Pricing for the 9-day Morocco Culinary Tour with Access Trips begins at $2,990 per person for 8-nights accommodations. Departure dates in 2015 include April 16, May 21, August 27, October 1 and December 24. Departure dates in 2016 include: February 11, April 14, May 26, September 1 and October 20. The trip includes five cooking classes (one breakfast and four dinners), all breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner. Sightseeing, guided excursions, airport transfers and additional itinerary items included, as outlined here. 

About Access Trips: Access Trips is the leading adventure travel operator specializing in culinary tours and exotic learning vacations to 13 countries worldwide. The company's wide range of small-group culinary and outdoor sports tours are expertly designed for guests to explore the destination through its cuisine, experience a new culture, and learn new skills or fine-tune existing ones. Based in Seattle and launched in 2001, the Access Trips portfolio of vacations includes cooking, surfing, mountain biking and multisport itineraries. Access Trips culinary and active tours cater to a variety of skill levels from novice to expert in a relaxed, non-intimidating setting led by world-class chefs, instructors and multilingual guides. For more information about Access Trips, please visit www.AccessTrips.com.

**Statistics from Morocco National Tourist Office December 2014 Tourism Report.

Editor's note: Recipes for Fish Tagine with Chermoula and Traditional Moroccan Couscous available upon request.