Sustainable tourism in the municipality of Bin El Ouidane province of Azilal: Reality and prospects

Abstract

Tourism is an essential aspect in the growth of the Bin El Ouidane area and it plays an important role in the region of Beni Mellal Khenifra. However, tourism has developed to the point of threatening some parts of the territory of Bin El Ouidane. The ideals on which it was founded have evolved over time. The public and tourist actors of the province of Azilal, as well as the visitors who come to the region, have become aware of the degradation caused by tourism. Sustainable tourism, which will be the focus of our research, has emerged as an alternative type of tourism that is more respectful of the land and people.

Sustainable tourism is based on a number of key concepts, including having a beneficial influence on local communities while having a minimal impact on the environment, protecting biodiversity, caring for people, listening, communicating... These values are considered sustainable, environmental, equitable and participatory, as opposed to mass tourism and mass consumerism. Let's not forget that, if properly managed and supervised, sustainable tourism is centered on exchange, protection of values, cultural, social and natural assets, their promotion and preservation. The contradiction between the economy of tourism and the ecology of tourist sites is a brake on the growth of tourism. This leads us to study in this article the issue of sustainable tourism and its influence on the environment in the commune of Bin El Ouidane. The main objective of this research is to assess the link between local communities and sustainable tourism projects that are part of a strategy for sustainable development of natural resources in the Bin El Ouidane area.

This article is based on an empirical study mobilizing a mixed approach, relying on a quantitative approach based on the exploitation of numerical data collected from the documentary research and a qualitative approach mobilizing the socio-economic and environmental indicators related to sustainable tourism which are supply, tourism demand, environment, sustainable projects. These indicators were analyzed from the answers obtained during interviews with tourists and local actors, within the framework of a field study carried out in a rural Moroccan territory which is the commune of Bin El Ouidane located in the province of Azilal.

The results of this empirical study revealed that sustainable tourism occupies an important place and has marked its role as a lever of development in the commune of Bin El Ouidane; therefore, a number of projects have been implemented in this territory to develop the environmental and sustainable aspect of the area.

JEL Classification: Z00

Paper type: Empirical research.