No abstract

Tourism is a crucial source and an added value in many developing countries. In Morocco, the sector is of paramount significance with a national GDP of about 20% and its effects have become noticeable. The methodology which is used in this study is qualitative while the data is analyzed according to a process-based approach in two longitudinal periods, from 2001 to 2009 and from 2010 to 2014. Through a process-based longitudinal study, the effects of tourism were analyzed highlighting the three pillars of sustainability, namely the economic, environmental and socio-cultural milieu in Essaouira in the southwest of Morocco. The objective of this paper is to identify, among others, the notorious impacts of mass tourism on fragile destinations in terms of their load capacity, promotion of youth employment and respect for indigenous traditions. This study also aims to assess the influence of tourism on certain destinations that depend, to a large extent, on this activity. It also seeks to test a series of indicators germane to sustainable development in sensitive areas. Within results, it was found that tourism, as an industry, is related to the international community and the tested sustainable development indicators revealed that tourism is environmentally destructive. Job creators in this field contributed to the changes that occurred in the indigenous people's lives and the state's intervention was of paramount significance to preserve the existence of a potential vanishing culture.

Although it has been proven and well integrated in many states, the bottom-up development approaches and the participation of the local population are very recent orientations in Morocco. In this very centralized state, the process is still slow and difficult to implement. However, the new territorial and environmental challenges require local governance where the local community needs to be more involved in decision-making and planning for environmental protection. Through the analysis of the national environment strategy, this paper sheds light on the integration of environmental governance in the Natural Park of Souss Massa (PNSM) in Southwest Morocco linked with tourism actors. Indeed, the development of responsible and ecological tourism takes part in this new orientation and makes it possible to federate several actors with the aim of protecting and safeguarding the natural environment. It highlights the environmental governance mechanisms and frameworks proposed to the local community to participate in the implementation of the strategy. A field study made it possible to recognize the various points of view and the aspirations of the local population to participate in the environmental management of their fragile and threatened space.

No abstract

Tourism is vulnerable and sensitive to natural, socio-political, and economic hazards. The bulk of destinations are threatened by natural, terrorist, cyclical, epidemiological, political, and social perils. Tourism is a salient industry and represents 14% of the GDP of certain MENA countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, and Egypt. The latter's GDP has shrunk sharply and affected other vital economic sectors that inductively and deductively rely on tourism. Generally, the industry's recovery depends, to a large extent, on these governments' decision-makers alongside the encouragement and satisfaction of the tourist.