ICPTR

This communication is based on the results of a mixed-mode survey design. The first qualitative research phase has set the ground for the quantitative research conducted in the second phase of the study (click on title to read more). For more information contact us by e-mail: omar.moufakkir@stenden.com or by phone: (00)31 582441301.

(Click on title to read more)

In a few years, the growing number of immigrants has transformed culture shock into culture unrest (Moufakkir, 2008, p.86), defined as “the context where two cultures live together, but at a level of acceptance that has developed from a state of euphoria, apathy, to annoyance, or even antagonism”, sometimes expressed verbally and even physically. In a destination image study, we found the Dutch perceptions of people of Moroccan origin living in the Netherlands to be overwhelmingly negative, confirming similar opinions expressed in the media (ref. Table 1, qualitative information). The social and political landscape of the Netherlands was infected by the murder of right wing politician Pim Fortuyn just before the national election in May 2002. Despite and/or because of his death, his party List Pim Fortuyn (LPF) won 17% of the national vote, making it the second strongest political party in the country. Besides a rising mistrust of politicians, Fortuyn’s success was attributed to the issue of ‘unsuccessful’ integration of ethnic minorities (Krouwel et al., 2006) or what Scheffer (2000) referred to as the “multi-cultural drama”. In addition to this, the murder in November 2004 of outspoken anti-Islamic opinion-leader, filmmaker Theo van Gogh, shocked the nation. In such a tragic environment, the fear of inter-ethnic polarization, as well as the need for effective measures for integration, appears to be a reality (Krouwel et al., 2006). During the March 2010 Dutch municipal elections the PVV won in Almere with 21.6 % of all votes, making it the biggest party in the city with nine seats in the municipal board. In Den Haag, winning eight seats, they came second to the PVDA (Labor Party) and became more popular than the CDA (Christian Democrats). More importantly, a public opinion poll (peiling) of 2500 voters undertaken by Synovate during the same period indicated that this ultranationalist party would be the third most important political party in the country with 24 seats compared to nine seats in 2006. The poll by Maurice de Hond, also a very well known poll group, indicated that the PVV would become the biggest party in the country with 27 seats. As was reported in the media, these results were a shock to Dutch people and to the world community, because of the reputation of the Netherlands as a multi-cultural society noted for its tolerance and multiculturalism.

The results of a study conducted by the Tourism for Peace (lectoraat) research group are (graphs below), no surprise because they simply confirm ”public opinion” perceptions about the Moroccan Allochtonen in the Netherlands which are overwhelmingly negative. The whys of this phenon is not the subject of this communication. Rather, it is noted that Dutch people who visited Morocco were found to be less prejudiced towards Moroccans than those who did not. Tourism, in the context of this study seems to reduce prejudice. Furthermore, as those who have visited Morocco appear to be less prejudiced than those who did not, it could be suggested that tourism has to some extent a positive impact on perceptions.  

In the 9^th century B.C. epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer observed: “a guest never forgets a host who has treated him kindly”. It is possible that as guests who have been treated kindly in Morocco, the Dutch return home as hosts whose prejudices towards Moroccans in the Netherlands have been positively mediated.

That is, because of the important relation between tourism, immigration, prejudice, cultural diversity and integration, the Moroccan minstry of tourism should work together with other ministries, especially the ministry of immigration. It is unfortunate that tourism in Morocco  has not yet evolved from destination selling and promotion, to destination branding, and nation branding. Again, the irony is that Moroccan nationals abroad, in a period of less than 60 years, are set to mirror “justly or unjustly” the Moroccan people and a culture of thousands of years. And it is this mirror and the seriousness of this irony that deserve more attention in the study and “doing” of tourism.

Tags: diversity, ecnounters, immigration, integration, Morocco, Netherlands, perceptions, stereotypes, tourism, understanding