Case Study

Promoting rural tourism in Morocco

Fès, Morocco | February 26, 2003

A Chemonics project is laying the groundwork for environmentally sound rural tourism development in Morocco, a country with a unique blend of Arab, Berber, and African cultural attractions.

Just a few weeks after the project’s launch late last year, Chemonics put Morocco at center stage at the annual African travel industry’s ecotourism conference in Fès, with keynote addresses by chief of party and leading ecotourism expert James MacGregor.

“An increasing number of travelers are interested in the rural tourism experience in Morocco,” MacGregor said. “Our goal is to help Morocco capitalize on its rural tourism assets to further economic growth.”

The six-day conference, sponsored by the Africa Travel Association, showcased Morocco’s offerings to more than 150 U.S. tour operators, who sell tourism packages to American travelers.

Over the next three years, Chemonics will work with the Ministry of Tourism to create two dozen new tour itineraries in rural regions with the highest potential for tourism. The goal is to attract more U.S. and European tourists, helping to diversify the economy and create jobs.

Chemonics environmental and ecotourism specialist David Gibson, who also participated in the conference, presented case studies on fostering community participation in tourism product development, drawing on Chemonics’ experience in Botswana, Madagascar, and Uganda.

“These successes have depended on participatory approaches that create partnerships between communities and tour operators—a key to infrastructure financing,” he said. “Including rural communities in both the conception and development of tourism products is essential to guarantee sustainability.”

From the imperial city of Fès to the famous beaches of Agadir, Morocco has plenty to offer international tourists. But despite its rich cultural and natural heritage, this North African country ranks only ninth among the 10 principal tourist destinations in the Mediterranean basin.

Morocco hopes to change that by boosting tourism in its small towns and villages — areas largely undiscovered by ecotourism, educational, and adventure travelers. Though a mere 5 percent of tourists to Morocco actually travel to rural areas, a visitor exit survey by Chemonics last year found that two out of three want more contact with rural communities.

To help meet this demand, the USAID-funded rural tourism development project focuses on institutional development, community-based tourism strategies, training, and the development of new and exciting tour products.

These efforts are expected to boost employment and incomes in rural areas, particularly as the United States and Morocco move closer to signing a Free Trade Agreement.

“Typically, free trade agreements have a significant impact on subsistence-level farms,” said project supervisor Mohamed Khatouri. “Rural tourism, however, can play an important role in the transition from a traditional agricultural economy to the labor-intensive travel sector.”

To facilitate the transition, Chemonics is working with tourism organizations, business associations, and regional tourism officials to promote effective, market-driven tourism strategies, products, and services.

“With the advent of the Free Trade Agreement, there is an urgency to create jobs,” said MacGregor. “The biggest challenge will be to ensure that those associated with the new tours have the adequate training to offer quality products from the beginning.”