Local development in the North of Morocco- Chefchaouen Rural Tourism Network

General Aim:

Promoting the social and economic development of the local population of Chefchaouen, offering the possibility of carrying out economic complementary activities to the traditional ones in the rural area of the North of Morocco, through the creation of a rural tourism house network.

Impact:

We can divide the people who can benefit from this project into two groups:
Direct beneficiaries: Those who take part in the network as well as the rural house families, cooperatives, local associations and each of the linked 8 “Douards” ( villages ) and local operators.

Indirect beneficiaries: We can state that during the tourist season, around 300 families will benefit from the project supplying services such as: tourist guides, transport, handcraft men and others.

Around 55 tourism companies will also benefit from the project as well as other companies from other sectors, small business and shops, cooperatives, handcraft shops, coffee places, cake shops…

Chaouen Rural was created from the real implication and integration of the people in charge to make sure that work continues is the future.

We are succeeding in distributing the tourist flow in order to increase the numbers of nights per stay so that the income from tourism is higher and well divided within Chefchaouen area.

Up to 20 Douards could benefit from this project with the adherance of new houses.

Project length:  From 2002

Linked Institutions:

• Associació Catalana pel Temps Lliure i la Cultura (ACTLC)
• Association pour le développement Rural du Nord Maroc
• Ministère du Tourisme, l’Artisanat et l’Economie Sociale du Règne du Maroc
• Haut commissariat Eaux et Forêts à la Lutte Contre la Désertification
• Association “Rif El Andalous”  pour la protection du patrimoine du Chefchaouen
• Institut Supérieur International du Tourisme Tanger
• Association Rif pour le Développement du Tourisme Rural (Al Hoceima)
• Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional
• Agència Catalana de Cooperació al desenvolupament

Recently finished and still in process projects in Morocco are:

In Chefchaouen:

1. Project to create Rural Houses in the North of Morocco.
2. Expansion of Rural Houses development in the North of Morocco.
3. Rehabilitation of 6 houses and their integration to “Gîtes d’Etap” tourism network. in the North of Morocco.
4. Services platform for the rural tourism operators in the Chefchaouen region.
5. Support to the development and consolidation of rural tourism in the area of Chefchaouen, Morocco.
6. Consolidation actions of the Rural Tourism in the area of Chefchaouen.
7. Consolidation of the Rural Tourism network  in the area of Chefchaouen, Morocco.
8. Strengthening of the associative  capacity in order to activate productive activities in the rural environment in the Chefchaouen region.

In Al Hoceima:

1. Promotion of economic and ecotourism activities in the National Park of       Hoceima