THE PRESENT OF BARCELONA IS THE FUTURE OF THE ARAB WORLD:

More than 11 million people visited Morocco in 2017, an increase of 10 percent over the previous year, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism. The number of American visitors has increased at an even quicker pace. Last year, more than 254,000 Americans visited the North African country, a rise of 29 percent over 2016 and 81 percent over 2012.

More flights, an easing of visa regulations and a concerted effort by the Kingdom of Morocco to modernize infrastructure and improve safety have all played a part. As more visitors come to Morocco, Marrakesh is reinventing itself to lure its share of tourists, who stay an average of three nights.

"One of the main challenges of the tourism sector in Marrakesh is increasing the length of stay," said Alexis Reynaud, an editorial manager at the Oxford Business Group, a research and consulting firm. "New high-end resorts and hotels are starting to offer much more than just luxury lodging to encourage people to stay longer."

Leading the pack among these new ventures is M Avenue, a $100 million multiuse project known as Garden Avenue because it will include nearly 108,000 square feet of gardens and landscaped areas alongside about 183,000 square feet of shops, restaurants, cafes and galleries. Lodging will include a 168-room hotel from the Portuguese hotelier Pestana and 88 private residences from the Four Seasons.

"We are trying to create a new city center," said Nabil Slitine, the chief executive of M Avenue Development, who in 2011 helped open the Four Seasons Resort, one of the first international hotels in the city.

Paul White, president of residential for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, said he wanted to increase the company's footprint in Marrakesh. M Avenue, which is near the airport and the Palais de Congrès conference center, offers "access to the sights of the city, including the medina and Menara gardens, while also acting as a convenient takeoff point to venture into the surrounding region, including the Atlas Mountains," he said.

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