Morocco Unveils $170 Million Ecotourism Plan for Drâa Tafilalet Oasis Region

The Drâa Tafilalet region will establish itself in oasis ecotourism. During the Development and Solidarity Council held on Thursday, July 17 in Rabat, devoted to the theme "Morocco of the Territories: Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity, the example of the Draa-Tafilalet Region", Imad Barrakad, President of SMIT, announced the implementation of an ambitious program of around 1.7 billion dirhams. It is part of a positioning strategy focused on the "Desert & Oasis Adventure" sector developed by SMIT and its partners. Their ambition is to make Drâa Tafilalet a beacon of ecotourism in Morocco.

This program includes several key components, including improving air transport infrastructure to better adapt the supply to demand and make the region more accessible, prioritizing efforts and investments to maximize the impact of projects. It is also planned to improve the quality of the tourist offer, by strengthening services and infrastructure. Not to mention the regulation, control and professionalization of destination management.

For the effective implementation of the program, it is planned to create a Regional Development Company (SDR) dedicated to "Oasis Tafilalet" tourism, where SMIT, the supervisory Ministry and the Regional Council will sit. This organization will oversee the implementation of public projects in line with local priorities. These projects will integrate multiple tourist offers, including hiking and excursions in the desert and oases. This initiative will be supported by three main financial strategies, SMIT points out.

What about the three levers for developing the tourist product? An investment of 515 million dirhams (50 million euros) will be devoted to the modernization and expansion of the tourist accommodation offer. This will involve renovating existing facilities, developing charming hotels and creating alternative rural accommodations, as well as creating a green station in Isli and Tislite. To strengthen the attractiveness of the region, an envelope of 732 million dirhams (68 million euros) will be dedicated to improving tourist readability through directional and interpretive signage, as well as the tourist enhancement of frequented sites such as the Todgha Gorges, the Dadès Gorges, and the Sijilmassa site. As for the animation component, 429 million dirhams (40 million euros) will be allocated to financing the renovation of tourist sites and experiences.