The Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council (CPTE) in collaboration with the provincial tourism delegation organized Essaouira Spring on March 5 & 6, 2016 around the following themes:
Clean beach, open-air art exhibition, art competition, sardine festival, fantasia and women’s race. On the sidelines, the president of the CPTE presented the development axes of the Essaouira destination, as well as the 2016 events agenda and the city’s future projects.
The Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council (CPTE) in collaboration with the provincial tourism delegation organized Essaouira Spring on March 5 & 6, 2016 around the following themes:
Clean beach, open-air art exhibition, art competition, sardine festival, fantasia and women’s race. On the sidelines, the president of the CPTE presented the development axes of the Essaouira destination, as well as the 2016 events agenda and the city’s future projects.
Tourist activity:
The activity reaches its peak this weekend, giving color to the city and tourist operators.
Several elements make Essaouira a point of attraction for a significant number of visitors, both national and foreign; the medina, classified as a world heritage site, which contains a particular and original architectural and urban heritage, testifying to a rich past from all human civilizations, the enormous potential in terms of water sports or board sports, in particular the sites of Sidi Kaouki and Moulay Bouzerktoune, renowned for the strength and regularity of the winds which are world-famous among surfers.
And if the medina of Essaouira is full of potential and a very rich heritage, the natural sites in its hinterland make it a center for excursions as interesting as they are varied; to the north called Chiadma country it is a landscape alternating woodlands, oases and sandy steppes while to the south called Haha country we find a mountainous region, bays of great beauty, the argan and thuja forest, a potential which could satisfy the expectations of tourists seeking authenticity, a change of scenery and discovery.
A significant number of projects are underway or planned for the promotion of urban and cultural tourism and the preservation of heritage. National tourism, being today the second market of the destination, A “Biladi” station is planned at the level of the commune of Sidi kaouki, This offer consists of developing and promoting products which are in line with the expectations and consumption patterns of Moroccan tourists.
A development plan for rural and nature tourism has been put in place in consultation with all the operators concerned. The development of this offer will enhance the hinterland.
In the same context, and with the objective of diversifying the tourist product, studies are underway for sustainable tourism development of the island of Mogador through environmentally friendly methods and actions.
Considerable efforts are being made by the operators concerned, in particular the local authority and the tourism delegation, to improve the tourist environment. According to many professionals, Essaouira is increasingly proving to be a safe destination that prevails in the region provided you know how to capitalize and promote the destination intelligently.
The air route, being a preferred means of tourists to reach the city, remains to be developed. Indeed, the two lines linking the trade wind city with PARIS and LONDON remain insufficient to promote the destination. Let’s talk numbers, classified tourist accommodation establishments recorded 165,000 arrivals and 417,601 overnight stays in 2015.
Essaouira Airport has a new terminal inaugurated in 2010 with a capacity of 300,000 passengers per year. This passenger transfer building offers unique fluidity with quality, safety and security standards meeting international standards.
Aware of the positioning of air attractiveness in the tourist development of the city, the airport management, driven by the ONDA strategy, supports all actions to develop the air service axis. This strategy bore fruit by inviting the low-cost giant easyJet to connect the city of the trade winds with the English capital, London.
This new airline line inaugurated on May 1, 2015 with two weekly frequencies and the maintenance of the Essaouira PARIS line on board the company TRANSAVIA with three weekly frequencies, allowed an increase in air traffic of 4.58% p/p in 2014.
Supporting tourism development
- Essaouira Port Extension Project: With an investment of 127 million dirhams for the first phase
PROJECT CONSISTENCY:
-Construction of a dock for repair
-Construction of a fish unloading dock
-Widening of the median over 2 ha
-Arrangement of floating wharves for parking boats
-Dredging and excavation of the basin
-Construction of a protective dike for the Sekkala
PROJECT IMPACT:
-Port reorganization
-Optimization of the use of port spaces
-Development of port areas
PROJECT COST 127,000,000.00 Dhs including tax
FUNDING SOURCE: National Ports Agency
DEPARTMENT IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT: ANP
- Essaouira urban upgrading program: 1st tranche carried out between 2010 and 2014, with an investment of 292 million dirhams
Project consistency
- Upgrade of basic neighborhood amenities;
- Revalorization of sites with specific characteristics: Corniche/structuring boulevards of the city (Bd Med V, city entrances and Boulevard Al Aqaba) and public squares;
- Upgrade of public spaces around the Medina. ;
Impact of the Project
- Upgrade basic infrastructure;
- Enhance the urban landscape of a tourist city;
- Improve the quality of life of citizens and visitors;
- Preserve the environment.
- Strengthen socio-economic development;
Project Cost: 292.2MDHs
Funding Source
DGCL, Provincial Council, Municipal Council, Al Omrane Marrakech Company and development company of the MOGADOR SAEMOG tourist resort
Project Department
- Essaouira Province;
- Municipal Council,
- Al Omrane Marrakech Company
Progress Status and Completion Schedule: Work completed at 90%
- Essaouira urban upgrading program: 2nd tranche currently being implemented (2015-2018), with an investment of 502 million dirhams
Project consistency
The program is structured around 3 main axes:
- The upgrade of the second phase of the complex: Boulevard Mohammed V/corniche, the development of the rampart gardens and public squares;
- The rehabilitation of the Medina of Essaouira;
- The rehabilitation of the Mellah district;
The upgrade of the second phase of the complex: Boulevard Mohammed V/corniche, the development of the rampart gardens and public squares
The main axes of the “Program” are:
- Extension and strengthening of the rainwater sanitation network;
- Renovation of the public lighting network and lighting of green spaces, squares and ramparts;
- Renovation of roads and resurfacing of pedestrian paths;
- Layout of spaces and watering system;
- Organization of vehicle traffic;
- Fountainry;
- Urban furniture.
The rehabilitation of the Medina of Essaouira;
The rehabilitation program includes:
- Strengthening the infrastructure of the medina;
- Treatment of the Built Environment: repair of degraded houses;
- Transformation of local facilities: old covered room and the old courthouse;
- Restoration, Rehabilitation and enhancement of cultural heritage:
- Restoration of religious facilities: a mosque and 6 zaouyas;
- Redevelopment of public spaces: fish market.
The rehabilitation of the Mellah district;
The main axes of the “Mellah Program” are:
- Reinforcement of neighborhood infrastructure Infrastructure:
- Culture: restoration of the ramparts of the district on the Land side and the rampart on the sea side
Project Objectives
- Upgrade basic infrastructure;
- Enhance the urban landscape of a tourist city;
- Improve the quality of life of citizens;
- Preserve the environment;
Project Cost
Overall cost of the program is: 502 MDHs
Source of Funding
- Ministry of the Interior (DGCL);
- Ministry of Habouss and Islamic Affairs,
- Ministry of Culture,
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy;
- ONEE (water branch)
- Regional Council;
- Provincial Council
- Municipal Council.
Program progress:
- Partnership agreements signed;
- Some actions of the program have already started and are even being completed;
- The development of the corniche, boulevard Med V and the rampart gardens is currently being launched.
Essaouira events calendar
April 10-11-12, 2016: the friendly university
From April 28 to May 1: the musical spring of the trade winds
From May 12 to 15: the Gnaoua and world music festival
From October 7 to 9: the photographic nights of Essaouira
From October 27 to 29: The Essaouira Atlantic Andalusia Festival
From December 28 to 30: the 2nd edition of the Jazz sous l’arganier festival
On the other hand, it should be noted that in the presence of M; the Governor of the province of Essaouira, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Service of the Marrakech Safi region and the President of the Essaouira Provincial Tourism Council signed a partnership agreement in which the chamber of commerce, industry and service of the Marrakech region offers space in its Essaouira delegation an administrative office space for the benefit of the Essaouira provincial tourism council. These premises will allow the staff of the tourism council, made up of volunteers, to structure its administrative tasks with a view to enabling it to strengthen its actions to promote service.
