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Thursday, March 28, 2024

 
Tourism Minimize

Like Mediterranean countries, the Kingdom of Morocco attaches priority to the tourism sector. Hence the need to continuously investigate and produce powerful tools that can energize this sector of the national economy.

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Given the privileged position of the Kingdom of Morocco, its Atlantic and Mediterranean costs and the large part performed by the sector in terms of inflow of foreign exchange as well as the important role it plays in the socio-cultural exchanges, the development of this sector should be encouraged and backed.

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This is what the Kingdom of Morocco is trying to do with the signing of the contract program from 2000 to 2010 involving all partners and tourism professionals, and whose objective is to reach 10 million tourists by 2010.

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The Sahara region incorporates a multitude of potentially exploitable natural sites, it combines both long stretches of the Atlantic, Oasis, desert landscapes, sand dunes and sabkhats (crater /high- salinity basin).

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The abundance of potential tourist sites requires integrated planning in the context of an overall strategy and synergy between the government and private operators to establish a policy for the development of these natural resources.

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Nowadays, the activity of travel agencies in the Sahara region remains confined to the attractiveness of a number, albeit growing, of tourists and businessmen mainly from the Canary Islands for visits of no more than two or three days or even a few hours.

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Some domestic and foreign investment has been undertaken in the region in order to raise the level of tourism potential in the region. Several coastlines equipped with hotels, clubs, cottages and villas. These investments will be finished in the next 3 years.


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To support these investments, steps have been taken to strengthen advertising campaigns, staff training and assistance in recruiting qualified staff in hotels in the region.

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As part of the development strategy, tour operators have been identified to promote tourism in the Sahara region. Among those sites, there is Laâyoune Beach, Lagoon Khnifiss, Oasis and Lamseid Sebkhat of Tah.

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In anticipation of the completion of those infrastructures, the region continues to receive some tourism events such as the economic and touristic week in Laayoune Sakia El Hamra, the Toulouse air Rally, Tarfaya, St. Louis, Raid Maroc Evasion.

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Once re-evaluated, these events might attract more visitors to the region. Despite the importance of the potential available in this region, tourism is not well-developed. The province has 12 unclassified hotels with 289 rooms and 459 beds.

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In 2005, over 20,000 tourists (including 762 foreigners) have visited this region reaching 28,205 nights. Sites of tourist and religious interest have already been identified: Zaouias Rguibi Sidi Ahmed, Sheikh Maouelainin, Sidi Ahmed Laaroussi, Lhaj Hmer Lahya, Sidi Ahmed Oumoussa, rock carvings of Aassli and Miran, Oued Saguia El Hamra.

The following table shows the number of arrivals and overnight stays in the main cities in the Sahara region (December 31, 2005): 

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The following table shows classified and unclassified tourist institutions in the region (December 31, 2005):

Provinces et préfectures

*

**

***

****

*****

VVT

Résidences

touristiques

Maisons

d’hôtes

Auberges

Motels

Pensions

Total

Oued eddahab-Lagouira

-

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

Dakhla

-

1

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra

 

3

 

3

 

2

 

4

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

1

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

13

Laâyoune

3

3

3

4

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

13

Guelmim-Smara

4

 

3

4

-

-

3

-

3

1

-

-

18

Guelmim

3

-

2

-

-

3

-

1

-

-

-

9

Tan-Tan

1

2

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

4

Tata

-

1

1

-

-

-

-

1

1

-

-

4

Assa-Zag

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

The table below shows the capacity of institutions regarding beds (December 31, 2005):

Provinces et préfectures

*

**

***

****

*****

VVT

Résidences

touristiques

Maisons

d’hôtes

Auberges

Motels

Pensions

Total

Oued eddahab-Lagouira

-

76

-

164

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

240

Dakhla

-

76

-

164

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

240

Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra

 

184

 

148

 

152

 

660

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

20

 

-

 

-

 

-

 

1 164

Laâyoune

184

148

152

660

-

-

-

20

-

-

-

1 164

Guelmim-Smara

182

 

186

210

-

-

114

-

40

20

-

-

752

Guelmim

118

-

80

-

-

114

-

18

-

-

-

330

Tan-Tan

64

78

-

-

-

-

-

10

-

-

-

152

Tata

-

108

110

-

-

-

-

12

20

-

-

250

Assa-Zag

-

-

20

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

20

Source: Ministry of Tourism, Handicraft and Social Economy


Development Perspectives in the Sahara region
Two major projects are under way namely:

                • Development of the Dakhla Bay’s Corniche
                • Development of the tourist zone "Foum Labouir”, located north of the town of Dakhla

The Oued Eddahab - Lagouira region offers a wide tourist potential. Indeed, several factors are combining to promote a tourism boom in the region.

The combination of the geographical situation of the region and the configuration of the Oued Eddahab Bay (40 km length and between 4 and 8 km width), to endless beaches with sand of fine particle size, sunshine all over the year make of the region and its peninsula one of the most outstanding tourist on a global scale.

Assets

The tourist attractions in the region ensure a promising future:

• The region of Oued Edahab-Lagouira covers a coastline stretching over 667 km, and has several tourist attractions including:

- The situation of Dakhla on a peninsula allows the installation of equipment seaside
- Sunshine the year round
- Beaches of great diversity and beauty
- Practice for various water sports like surf-casting, underwater fishing and water skiing, as well as wind surfing and kite surf ....

• Dunes, mountain ranges and desert (possibility of developing and promoting tourism Discovery).
• Last refuge of rare species: organic reserves monk seals in Gerguaratt.
• Natural forests rich in game.
• Significant fauna (gazelle Dorca, argali, bustards etc.). .
• Important archaeological sites rock carvings: Aguerguer mountains (fossil), the archaeological remains of Bir Anzarane, the sand dunes of  «Pan A Sucar» (similar to white sugar buns), Menhirs in Aousserd. 
• The geographical and climatic  peculiarities of the region (temperate 18 to 26 °, with the influence of maritime trade winds and cold of the Canary Islands.
• The existence of two ports, the new port which is intended for activities related to fisheries and the old port can be used for recreational fishing and for water activities.
• Proximity to the Canary Islands which annually receives 14 million tourists and which constitute a metropolis and international tourism which are beginning to be saturated.

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In addition, the region has a rich and varied folklore and hospitality demonstrated at various events organized in national and religious holidays.

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Investment opportunities:

The investment opportunities are various and varied:

  • Catering
  • Restoration
  • Cultural Tourism
  • Eco Tourism
  • Marine Tourism
  • Nautical Sports
  • Pleasure Ports
  • Link by pleasure ship between Dakhla and EL Argoub
  • Tourist Transport

Festivities

The main festivities, which characterize the Sahara region can be summarized as follows:

- Laâyoune tourist Week
Laâyoune tourist Week is an annual event that takes place from October 26, to November 6 every year, it is an exhibition space and sale of all products of local crafts namely, jewelry, wooden furniture and leather work together with the celebration of traditional music, art, theater and a variety of children games in an environment of celebrations and meetings.   

The exhibition spaces are usually Saharan tents. As a result, Laâyoune tourist Week can be seen as an exchange of cultural, artistic, socio-economic and a meeting place of different cultures.

- Camel race

In the rural commune of Foum El Oued, the race is held annually and is accompanied by festivities gathering all the traditional arts. This race is held for three days at the end of the month of June, it uses a large number of camels up to 400 head from the four corners of the Sahara region. The race takes place along the shoreline from Foum El Oued 3 km from Elmersa trajectory over 7 km.

- Moussems of Zaouias

There are not many in the Sahara region and are exclusively reserved to tribes.

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