Moroccans in earthquake-hit tourist area grieve losses, fret about future

Women walk down a street, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Talat N'Yaaqoub, Morocco September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

OUIRGANE VALLEY, Morocco (Reuters) - The Kasbah La Dame Bija guesthouse in Morocco's picturesque Ouirgane Valley escaped unscathed from an earthquake that devastated the area, but the owner's bookings collapsed and he worries about whether the region can revive its tourist appeal.

"The earthquake killed people and destroyed villages on which our tourism activity depends," said Abderrahim Bouchbouk, owner of the nine-room guesthouse that was once run by his grandfather.