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Tangier

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Tangier has long been important due to its strategic position between the European and African continents, indeed it was once gifted to England by the Spanish King Phillip II. It has a very different feel from most other Moroccan cities, much more Western in orientation and with architecture that would not be out of place in any large Spanish city.

The importance of the location was recognised during the two world wars the city was run as a UN protectorate from 1923 until independence in 1956. During this period the city was controlled by eight global powers who have all left their mark on the area of the city they controlled. The British zone, for instance, features the unbelievably quaint St Andrews Church (which wouldn’t look out of place in any Kentish village) whilst the Portuguese built exact replicas of Lisbon facades. It was during this time that the Freeport zones were established and today much of the economic growth of Tangiers is based in these import/export tariff free areas on the doorway of Europe.

Today Tangier is again a city on the move. Recognising the unexploited potential the new King has implemented a programme of regeneration overseen by Mohammed Hassad, the former Mayor of Marrakech. He was principally responsible for the rebirth of Marrakech and its transformation into one of the most fashionable global destinations – his remit from the King is to make Tangier into the most desirable resorts on the Mediterranean in the next 5 years. The old commercial port in the city centre is being replaced by the new Tangier Med port about 30km down the coast. This will not only remove the container lorry traffic from the city but also allow the existing harbour to be redeveloped to rival other Mediterranean ports such as Palma or Monaco.

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For property investors Tangier represents an opportunity that should be carefully considered. New developments funded by the affluent Gulf States will put Tangier firmly on the destination map for the jet set. In total over $1 billion dollars is being invested in some spectacular projects featuring the complete range of luxury facilities, golf courses, conference centres and leisure facilities leading many people to describe it as “the new Dubai”.

At just three hours flying time from the UK, it’s already becoming an ideal destination for both weekend breaks or longer stays and attracts a large number of tourists year round. As such, low-cost airlines such as EasyJet have obtained permission to begin flying direct from airports in the UK. The Spanish and Moroccan governments have also commissioned preliminary engineering studies to build a rail tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar linking the two countries, although this will not be completed until 2025 at the earliest.

As well as the physical regeneration of the city, steps are being taken to restore the cultural reputation of the city. In the 1940s and until 1956 when the city was an International Zone, the city served as a playground for eccentric millionaires, a meeting place for secret agents and all kinds of crooks, and a mecca for speculators and gamblers, an Eldorado for the fun-loving "Haute Volée".

Associations with, amongst others, Winston Churchill, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, Paul Bowles and William S Burroughs (who wrote Naked Lunch in the city) has handed down an artistic legacy that will be the foundation for the future reputation of Tangier. As a first step, the classic art deco Rif cinema in the Medina has been fully restored and will now play host to a variety of film festivals.

By 2010 they will have transformed Tangier on Morocco’s Northern peninsula into one the most important Free Zones in the world and the main trade gateway to more than 600 million people across Europe, West Africa, North Africa as well as North America.

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