Marrakech in reach for budget travellers

Courtesy of the cheap flights revolution, UK travellers are being presented with an ever-widening array of far-flung destinations they can visit on a shoestring budget.

Canada is now in reach for less than £200, thanks to low-cost operator Zoom; South Africa and the US will soon be on the menu of no-frills airline Flyglobespan; and Oasis is planning to offer flights from Gatwick to Hong Kong for as little as £75.

But now easyJet is hoping to make it big outside of Europe.

Not wishing to give an inch to smaller rivals, the airline announced this week it will begin offering its first cheap flights to Africa.

As well as unveiling its first routes to Turkey and Croatia, the airline revealed it will begin daily flights to Marrakech in Morocco from July 4.

With one-way fares starting at £30.99, UK tourists with a sense of adventure can now visit one of North Africa's most vibrant cities for next to nothing.

The launch of the new route coincides with Marrakech's renowned Popular Arts Festival, when the city's love for music and performance is on show for ten days.

Marrakech is a lively and animated location all year round but visitors descending upon the city during the festival can expect sensory overload.

Streets will be teeming with acrobats, fire-eaters, artisans and vendors. And around every corner you'll encounter a different dance performance and hordes of authentic Gnaoua musicians.

The exact dates of the festival, known locally as Place Djemaa El Fna in Marrakech, are yet to be confirmed, although it normally runs in late June or early July.

Nestled in the foothills of the towering Atlas Mountains in the southwest of the country, the bustling city is a prime location for adventurous travellers all year round.

Marrakech's berber souk is the largest market in the country. Not for the shy and retiring, the city also hosts the Djemaa el Fna, the busiest square in all of Africa.

Royal Air Maroc, Air France, British Airways and BMI are among the airlines already flying into Marrakech's Ménara International Airport from UK airports, although expect to pay upwards of £200 for most return flights

© Adfero Ltd