The use of vegetation is one of the effective methods to combat the increasing Urban Heat Island (UHI). However, vegetation is steadily decreasing due to urban pressure and increased water stress. This study used air temperature measurements, humidity and an innovative advanced earth system analysis to investigate, at daytime, the relationship between green surfaces, built-up areas and the surface urban heat island (SUHI) in Marrakesh, Morocco, which is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination. While it is accepted that UHI variation is generally mitigated by the spatial distribution of green spaces and built-up areas, this study shows that bare areas also play a key role in this relationship. The results show a maximum mean land surface temperature difference of 3.98 °C across the different city neighbourhoods, and bare ground had the highest correlation with temperature (r = 0.86). The correlation between the vegetation index and SUHI is decreasing over time, mainly because of the significant changes in the region’s urban planning policy and urban growth. The study represents a relevant overview of the factors impacting SUHI, and it brings a new perspective to what is known so far in the literature, especially in arid climate areas, which have the specificity of large bare areas playing a major role in SUHI mitigation. This research highlights this complex relationship for future sustainable development, especially with the challenges of global warming becoming increasingly critical.

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Tourism is facing one of the biggest crises of all time due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis faced by territories in general and tourist destinations, in particular, requires in-depth studies and special interest from researchers and policymakers. For this reason, this study aims to determine the challenges faced by tourism actors in the ancient Medina of Marrakech during the COVID-19 health crisis. To do so, we adopted a quantitativequalitative method that allowed us to explore the 􀅫ield better. We used semi-structured interviews with decisionmakers in the tourism sector at the national, regional, and central levels and a two-phase questionnaire sent to tourism operators in the Medina of Marrakech. The 􀅫irst phase was conducted remotely during the lockdown, and the second in February 2022. The analysis of the responses shows signi􀅫icant losses of income and employment. Thus, the main reactivation strategies adopted by tourism professionals. The analysis also shows that the management of the health crisis was characterized by centralization and monopolization of power at the central level and that there was no change in the roles of the traditional state. The said management of the crisis is, above all, part of top-down governance limited to particular protagonists, both at the national and local levels, which represents a challenge for territorial governance, given that local realities are hardly the same at the national or territorial level.