Souss-Massa Launches Sustainable Tourism Certification to Boost Competitiveness

The SDR SMART Tourisme Souss-Massa is launching a certification project for sustainable tourism SMEs. The goal is to promote responsible practices, strengthen competitiveness, and align the sector with the Sustainable Development Goals. Supported by the World Bank, the certification has already attracted interest from 53 companies.

Reconciling a return to growth with the principles of sustainable tourism. This is the objective of the Regional Development Corporation (SDR) SMART Tourisme Souss-Massa, which has begun rolling out its project to label sustainable tourism activities in the region. Part of a structuring approach, this initiative aims to transform the local tourism landscape by promoting responsible practices and strengthening the destination’s appeal.

An information meeting was held more than two months ago, bringing together industry professionals to present the details of this project, which is financially supported by the World Bank through the PROBLUE trust fund. Implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, it counts the SMART Tourism SDR as the main beneficiary. The goal is to mobilize as many stakeholders as possible around this essential approach for more competitive tourism in terms of sustainable development.

Five fundamental objectives

The Souss-Massa project is structured around five fundamental objectives: promoting good practices and supporting businesses in integrating sustainable development principles; encouraging very small and medium-sized enterprises (VSEs) to adopt responsible practices; aligning the sector with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); labeling at least 60 tourist VSEs in the region; and, ultimately, improving the competitiveness and overall attractiveness of the Souss-Massa destination.

The tourism sectors targeted by this approach include a wide range of activities: accommodation, travel agencies, tourist transport, catering, entertainment and leisure, as well as tourist guiding, demonstrating a holistic approach to cover the entire value chain.

The development of a specific benchmark in Souss-Massa

The methodology adopted actively involves tourism stakeholders. It is based on a benchmark of existing best practices, the integration of international and national sustainable approaches, direct interviews and a questionnaire survey to collect precise information on the Souss-Massa region’s sectors.

This work results in the development of a specific reference framework for each sector in Souss-Massa and a charter of commitment, the five pillars of which are: welcoming the customer while respecting the environment and heritage; reducing environmental impact; involvement in local economic life; placing people at the heart of the activity; and the evolution of products and services through innovation. The labeling process is structured, including a diagnosis, a selection, an evaluation and a final certification issued by an award committee.

53 companies have expressed interest in the label

The expected results of this project are numerous for the Souss-Massa region. It aims to increase the skills of tourism businesses, with 53 of them already having expressed an interest in the label. It will boost the local economy through specific actions aimed at SMEs and micro-enterprises, and will increase awareness of environmental protection issues, including climate change.

By creating a network of committed businesses and aligning criteria with the SDGs, the project will place regional tourism in a national and international sustainability approach, notably through the preservation of seas and oceans within the framework of the Blue economy.

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(Featured image by Markus Spiske via Unsplash)

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First published in LES ECO.ma. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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