Kingdom
Ouarzazate: Launch of a Series of Tourism-Oriented Projects
These projects involve the development of tourist and cultural spaces at the ksar of Ait Benhaddou and the Taourirt Kasbah, as well as the renovation of the Ouarzazate Cinema Museum, thereby helping to strengthen the region’s tourism and cultural offering.
A series of development projects, part of the 2023–2026 Tourism Roadmap, was launched on Friday in Ouarzazate with the aim of repositioning the province among the leading national and international tourist destinations.
These projects, whose launch was overseen by the governor of Ouarzazate province, Abdellah Jahid, accompanied by the CEO of the Moroccan Agency for Tourism Engineering (SMIT), involve the development of tourist and cultural spaces at the ksar of Ait Benhaddou and the Taourirt Kasbah, as well as the renovation of the Ouarzazate Cinema Museum, thereby strengthening the region’s tourism and cultural offering.
In this context, work has begun on the development of two public squares near the ksar of Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. The objective is to enhance the site’s attractiveness and improve the quality of services offered to visitors, in harmony with its historical and architectural significance.
The projects also include, in downtown Ouarzazate, the creation of a Heritage Interpretation Center designed to offer an enriching experience of the region’s history and cultural heritage, as well as the upgrading of the Cinema Museum through the creation of leisure and entertainment spaces, transforming it into an interactive platform that meets international standards.
The Ouarzazate Heritage Interpretation Center is based on an integrated approach that highlights palaces and kasbahs by showcasing traditional construction techniques and models of historical sites.
It also includes a section dedicated to intangible heritage, covering crafts, customs, and local traditions, and a third section emphasizing Ouarzazate’s role in the global film industry by displaying equipment, costumes, filming accessories, and movies shot in the region.
In a statement to MAP, SMIT representative Othman Akhraz said that the ultimate goal of these investments is to move away from the transit tourism that has characterized Ouarzazate for years, in favor of tourism that promotes longer stays.
He added that these projects, which also include the development of dining areas, cinemas, and amusement parks, are expected to encourage tourists to extend their stay rather than simply make a brief stop.
The official also noted that this wave of projects is part of a broader vision aimed at promoting the region’s tourism sector by leveraging its natural assets, exceptional architectural heritage, and international reputation in the film industry.
