Tourism in Nador and the socio-professional integration of young people. This is the theme of a meeting organised on 15 March in Nador. Objective: to debate ways and means of promoting the integration of young people into the tourism sector via employment and self-employment. The participants in this meeting, initiated by the Moubadara association for the development of social spaces and youth activities, focused on two major axes: "Tourism in Nador, analysis and valorisation" and "Method of integration of young people and self-employment".

According to the organisers, this meeting is intended as a contribution to the reflection on the mechanisms to be put in place to facilitate the integration of young people in the province and Morocco in general and to guarantee them a better future while making the most of and preserving national natural and heritage resources. Successful experiences in ecotourism in two regions of the Kingdom were presented on this occasion. The participants thus followed presentations on "The development of tourism in Zagora" and on "The promotion of sustainable tourism in the Oriental region: potential and constraints".



It must be emphasised that despite the rich ecological and cultural potential of the Oriental region in general, and Nador in particular, ecotourism, which is a key sector in sustainable local development, is still struggling to develop due to the lack of appropriate accommodation infrastructure and the absence of an efficient local strategy based on the valorisation of local products. This is what emerges from a diagnosis carried out on this sector by a team of experts brought in by the German Technical Cooperation, in collaboration with Moroccan partners. According to this study, the Oriental region contains undeniable comparative advantages, especially natural ones, capable of boosting the development of the sector, or even establishing it as a key sector of the local economy.

The emphasis was thus placed on the diversity of the offer with mountain ranges, forest areas, coastal zones, natural sites of biological and ecological interest and historical and archaeological sites that make up the wealth of the region. A specific cultural identity, the immediate proximity of the European market, the leading source of tourists for Morocco, a strong presence of civil society in this area (60 associations involved in rural tourism) are all assets that have not, until now, been sufficiently exploited. Furthermore, the absence of a map of the ecotourism offer at the regional level and a marketing strategy, the weak capacity of local travel agencies to convert into tourist agencies as well as the deficit of consultations between the various local actors are deplored.

Nador has been the crossroads of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and then Islamic civilisations. The term "Nador" is said to be the diminutive of "Aït Nador", one of the Douars located near the lagoon. The region has also been a land of welcome for several sultans.

This is notably the case of King Omar Ibn Idriss II and the Almoravid Sovereign Youssef Ibn Ali Ibn Tachfine, who settled with his troops on the Temsamane mountain, in the Rif. For their part, the Sovereigns of the Alaouite dynasty granted the Nador region particular interest due to its privileged strategic position.

The name of Nador will remain closely linked to the great epics led by the inhabitants of the region against the Spanish occupation. These include, among others, the memorable battles fought by the Nadoris, under the leadership of Charif Mohamed Ameziane, against the Spanish troops and especially the famous battle of Anoual, led by Mohammed Ben Abdelkarim El Khattabi.

BenchmarksThe region's assets: a specific cultural identity, the immediate proximity of the European market, the leading source of tourists for Morocco, and a strong presence of civil society through 60 associations involved in rural tourism.

Ecotourism, a key sector in sustainable local development, is still struggling to develop due to an obvious lack of accommodation infrastructure.