{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Future of Moroccan tourism could be underground' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d28ad8eafeecae1e2840' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d28ad8eafeecae1e2840' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nFuture of Moroccan tourism could be underground\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEAD IN:The subterranean world could be the latest thing to attract visitors to Morocco.Speleologists, as cave enthusiasts are known, are exploring the country's caves in greater numbers.STORY-LINE:With its plentiful outcrops of...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEAD IN:The subterranean world could be the latest thing to attract visitors to Morocco.Speleologists, as cave enthusiasts are known, are exploring the country's caves in greater numbers.STORY-LINE:With its plentiful outcrops of limestone formation, Morocco is a speliologist's dream.There are hundreds of known caves and underground cavities in Morocco, and it is believed that many more lay undiscovered, making this an as yet untapped industry that could attract scientists, ecologists and tourists. It has taken years of research and exploration of caving sites by Moroccans and foreign speleologists and amateurs to popularise this activity.Taza is an area with high mountains, forests, caves and underground cavities that is likely to become a popular destination for speleology and nature tourism.The vast southern zone of Taza city has more than 365 caves and underground cavities. They were discovered between 1932 and 1956 by members of the French Federation of Speleology.The Moroccan and foreign speleologists describe the region of Taza as a unique place in Africa, or even in the world, as it contains such a large number of underground cavities.But despite this, tourism rates are low. In Morocco there are only 14 associations that specialise in caves, and two of these are based in Taza.Mohamed Kassimi has been president of the Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism since 2008.\"We wonder who should be responsible for the large number of caves in Taza, named \"the capital of caves and caverns\". It should be the High Commission of Water and Forests or the Tourism Ministry or Culture Ministry,\" he says.Friouato cave in the Massoud mountain, discovered in 1935 by French and Moroccans adventurers, remains the most famous cave internationally.The depth of the cave remains unknown as speleologists have only managed to reach 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) into the interior. The cave is open to the public, something which has led to its degradation.Recently the authorities closed Friouato because of an accident involving a group of students, when one died and six were injured.Before this accident Mohamed Kassimi the President of \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" had sent several letters to different ministries, authorities and others to alert them about the situation of the cave, but in vain.\"We are sorry about this incident that took place in the Friouato cavity but that does not mean we will close it once and for all, so we ask the concerned authorities to reopen it because it is considered to be a very important tourist destination that receives many visitors each day,\" he says.Since 2002, the French and Moroccan Federations of Speleology and the Moroccan Association of Speleology have been organising events to promote mountain tourism.Seven speleologists from the French Federation of Speleology and the French School of Speleology visited the Taza caves and underground cavities in October alongside 30 Moroccan participants.They visited a dozen prominent caves, beginning with Bab Mafraj.The purpose of this visit was to exchange technology advice and experiment with high-tech equipment. The caves are there, the enthusiasm is certainly in place - now these underground warriors just need the authorities to back them. Taza, Morocco – 25 October 20161. Various of Taza mountains2. Mid of the underground cavity Kahf Lma3. Various of Mohamed Kassimi and other member in \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" going to visit caves4. Mid of Mohamed Kassimi and other member in \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" in the entrance of the underground cavity Kahf Lma5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed Kassimi, President of \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" and speleologist:\"We wonder who should be responsible for the large number of caves in Taza, named \"the capital of caves and caverns\". It should be the High Commission of Water and Forests or the Tourism Ministry or Culture Ministry.\"6. Mid of steps leading to Friouato undergroud cavity 7. Sign reading (Arabic/French) \"Cave temporarily closed due to renovation works\" 8. Close of padlock9. Tilt up of stairs 10. Various of cave entrance11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed Kassimi,President of \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" and speleologist:\"We are sorry about this incident that took place in the Friouato cavity but that does not mean we will close it once and for all, so we ask the concerned authorities to reopen it because it is considered to be a very important tourist destination that receives many visitors each day.\"12. Mid of the French Speleologists and the members of the Moroccan Associations of Speleology going to visit caves13. Mohamed Kassimi entering Bab Mafraj cave14. Mid of Mohamed Kassimi wearing the warmbac15. Mid of concretions in Bab Mafraj cave16. Mid of Mohamed dressing17. Mid of underground lake 18. Various of the French and Moroccan group inside Bab Mafraj cave19. SOUNDBITE (French) Marc Latapie, Federal instructor of French School of Speleology:\"This year we just came more to give help and teach them about the equipment in the vertical cavities and all the constraints that may be encountered in underground cavities, as well as to know what equipment and tools each individual needs.\"20. Various of Chiker underground cavity21. Mid of the group near to Kahf Lma underground cavity22. Wide of speleologists preparing themselves to enter to Kahf Lma23. Close of some clothing and equipment used to enter the cavity24. Close of climbing ropes and caribenas 25. Mid of Youness explaining the activity26. Various shots of the drops into Kahf Lma27. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Youness Kassimi, speleologist:\"In the case of an accident inside the caves, there are not many professional speleologists who can intervene and help. In Morocco, there is a lack of speleologists, especially those that could work in a rescue team.\"28. Ain Awda cave entrance29. Various of the concretions in the inside of Ain Awda cave30. Various of concretions that have been smashed31. Mohamed Kassimi looking around cave32 . SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohamed Kassimi, President of \"Friouato Association For Environmental Preservation and to Encourage Speleology and Mountain Tourism\" and speleologist:\"Ain Awda Cave is an easy access cave, anyone can come inside. But as you can see people have vandalised it. As you can see, this geological heritage site which formed over millions of years has been broken.\" 33. 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