In 2016, the seminar, organized by the SAEDD laboratory in partnership with the University of Quebec in Montreal and the University of Marne La Vallée, under the direction of Mr. Larbi SAFAA and Mr. Mohamed Hadach, marked the beginning of an annual research event at the Higher School of Technology in Essaouira. Focused on the Marrakech-Safi region, the seminar explores the dynamics, challenges, and modeling of tourism in a context of advanced regionalization. Through six sessions over a day and a half, discussions delve into the complexity of the tourism development process, which goes beyond mere economic actions to encompass social, cultural, political, managerial, and environmental dimensions.
By highlighting the historical and colonial heritage of tourism in the region, the speakers seek to move beyond ideological approaches to propose more dynamic and systemic models. They also examine the crucial role of tourism in the Moroccan economy, its geopolitical potential, and its impact on social and spatial equity. The seminar is part of a critical reflection on past and current tourism policies, raising essential questions about representations, actors, organizational modes, and the resilience capacities of territories and populations in the face of tourism development.