Saïdia no longer wants to "sleep" in the winter and aims for more Moroccans living abroad

Nicknamed the "Blue Pearl", Saïdia suffers from an excessive dependence on beach tourism, leaving the city asleep during the winter. For professionals in the sector, the current "sun and sea" model has reached its limits. They now advocate a smart exploitation of natural assets through the development of water activities such as diving and surfing, as well as eco-tours in the hinterland of the Oriental region.

Deseasoning also involves a sustained cultural and sports calendar. Members of the regional council and community stakeholders, cited by Al3omk, advocate the creation of artistic festivals and integrated leisure parks. The objective is to capture the family tourism segment and retain the Moroccan community living abroad beyond the summer period, thanks to a targeted promotional and heritage offer.

Access to the destination remains a major obstacle to the development of the hub. Local stakeholders point to the difficulties of connection with Oujda-Angad airport and the irregularity of tourist transport. In parallel, an innovative proposal suggests transforming the border area of Beni Lajraf into a space of shared memory and coexistence, thus enhancing the unique geographical situation of the city.

Strengthening the competitiveness of Saïdia finally rests on a digital shift and administrative simplification. A stronger presence on digital platforms, combined with more fluid public-private partnerships, would attract new investments. Ongoing training of human resources in languages and communication remains the last pillar to ensure a quality of service capable of placing the city on the map of global tourism.