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Saudi Arabia's King Salman spends '$100m on Moroccan summer holiday'

The royal's holiday is expected to account for 1.5 per cent of north African country's foreign tourism revenue

Lucy Pasha-Robinson
Monday 21 August 2017 11:53 BST
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King Mohammed VI, center, is flanked by the Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, left, during a courtesy visit to Saudi King Salman in his residence in Tangier, northern Morocco
King Mohammed VI, center, is flanked by the Crown Prince Moulay Hassan, left, during a courtesy visit to Saudi King Salman in his residence in Tangier, northern Morocco (AP)

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman reportedly spent $100m (£77m) on his annual summer holiday to Morocco.

The royal was greeted by Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani at Tangier airport in July as he made his way to his 74-acre purpose-built summer palace, according to local media.

King Salman arrived for his annual break with an entourage of over 1,000 people, according to the Haaretz newspaper. Ministers, advisers and relatives were booked in to the city's most luxurious hotels.

In 2016, vast renovation works were carried out on the property, including the addition of new buildings, helipads and a big top tent to entertain guests.

This year's visit is being hailed as a welcome boost for the local economy and the holiday is expected to account for 1.5 per cent of the country’s foreign tourism revenue, according to Spanish paper La Vanguardia.

Moroccan city Tangier is the closest land in Africa to Europe
Moroccan city Tangier is the closest land in Africa to Europe (CREATIVE COMMONS)

Last summer, 100 black Mercedes and Range Rovers were on call to escort the King and his royal party around town, according to The New York Times.

Air Arabia Maroc has started flights from Gatwick to Tangiers
Air Arabia Maroc has started flights from Gatwick to Tangiers

His sprawling Tangier complex near Cape Spartel, above the beaches of Jbilia, also includes its own medical facilities and luxury restaurants.

King Salman owns properties around the world including several apartments in Paris, a chateau on the Côte d’Azur in France and a palace in Marbella.

The sprawling complex includes multiple helipads and overlooks the beaches of Jbilia
The sprawling complex includes multiple helipads and overlooks the beaches of Jbilia (Google Maps)

But his summer hideaway in Tangier is said to be his favourite, of numerous properties around the world.

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