23 March 2023 , 17:51
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A British tourist has died after he got "trapped in a spa" during a fire in Marrakech.
Initial reports say the man is a dad of two in his forties who was staying at the hotel in Morocco's capital with friends.
Guests screamed as the fire swept through the five-star Jaal Riad Resort at around 4pm today.
An emergency response made up of police officers and paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save the Brit, who died at the hotel as a result of smoke inhalation.
Another individual, described as a local worker, was also trapped in the spa and died.
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A spa room inside the Jaal Riad resort (Booking.com)
The foyer of the exclusive hotel (Booking.com)The dead Brit was said to be on holiday with pals when the fire broke out.
A source said: “It was a truly horrific incident."
“He was a tourist visiting the area with friends and they have had to break the news to his family," the source told The Sun.
“Everyone is heartbroken. They were in the spa when the fire happened and they were trapped.”
A hotel spokesperson confirmed that a guest had died, but refused to comment further due to the "ongoing investigation".
The hotel is said to have reopened after the fire.
An overnight stay at the exclusive lodging in central Marrakech runs at around £200.
Guests can use the fitness centre with a hot tube and the solarium in the garden. It also has a spa and swimming pool.
Morocco is a major destination for British tourists. In November, the country's Minister of Tourism stated that England is a large market representing nearly 600,000 arrivals and more than two million overnight stays per year.
This makes Britain Morocco's third market in terms of tourists and the second in terms of overnight stays.
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The Minister also announced a long-term goal to double the number of British tourists visiting Morocco by 2030, with a specific goal of doubling the number of tourists from the UK in the next four years.
The East African country has made a remarkable presence at the World Travel Market in London, an important event for the recovery of the tourism sector after the pandemic.
Morocco sends representatives from several regions and major tour operators to meet with major players in the tourism sector to put in place concrete plans to achieve this goal.