The Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima Regional Tourism Council, in partnership with the Moroccan National Tourism Office, organized an important meeting on active tourism from January 27 to 30 in Chefchaouen. The choice of the province and the theme were made with the objective of promoting the natural resources and infrastructure enjoyed by the province, in addition to strengthening the supply of sustainable tourism products.
The possibilities of sporting activities that can be developed locally, as well as the tourist interest that these activities can represent, have led the Regional Tourism Council of Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, in partnership with the Moroccan National Tourist Office, to invite sports professionals, of international caliber, to the province to benefit from their expertise with a view to developing the local product.
The invited experts were able to visit different places where the sporting activities available are practiced, according to the natural, geographical and environmental specificities of each place.
The meeting began with the formation of a cycling team, to explore the mountain circuits available to amateur and professional cyclists. Indeed, cycling tourism presents, in addition to the environmental interest, an important economic interest, since consumption in this type of tourism is higher than the international average.
Other teams were mobilized for climbing and mountain running. Fans of both disciplines around the world are constantly looking for the next running or climbing challenge, which means they are more able to travel, enjoy greater flexibility and spend longer lengths of stay in the destinations they visit. The various locations and visits to mountain places made it possible to explore more sites that could constitute an important link in the active tourism offer to be developed in the province. Moreover, the “Montagne verte – Sport et Développement” association organizes Ultra Trail Chaouen. An event which highlights the potential of the province and which succeeded in bringing together, through its 150 km of trails, more than 300 runners in 2016, with a direct economic impact valued at 1 Million Dirhams. The 2017 edition will take place from March 9 to 12.
The various visits made it possible to determine activities to develop. An action plan will be developed in this direction by the Regional Tourism Council of Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and its partners for the formation of human capital, the development of tourist potential, the development and rehabilitation of certain tourist places, as well as the creation and support of events related to active tourism.
