Converting local cultural heritage into a tourism place resource: the case of ait bou guemmaz valley in the moroccan high atlas

  • Mohammed Sguenfel Director of a Research team on Territory and organizational Innovation ENCG. University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco
  • Hassan Khallaf PhD student,Department of Sociology,Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Social Sciences University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco
Keywords: cultural heritage, stakeholder, tourism place, local development

Abstract

The AIT BOU GUEMMAZ valley, one of the most reputed mountain destinations in Morocco, has undergone a remarkable decline in tourists’ arrival over the last two decades. Its cultural heritage assets has not been mobilized enough to contribute in boosting tourism place attractiveness. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to explore the hypothesis according to which the construction of a customized and far-reaching discourse about local cultural heritage will lead to a diversification of the valley’s tourism product. Tourism local stakeholders are supposed to mobilize both tangible and intangible aspects of the local heritage through the elaboration of a “thick and appetizing” discourse that will appeal to all classes of tourists.The results of the following paper will not only inspire local stakeholders in designing tourism products, but will also help switch interest towards the vital importance of cultural heritage in local development

Author Biographies

Mohammed Sguenfel, Director of a Research team on Territory and organizational Innovation ENCG. University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco

Director of a Research team on Territory and organizational Innovation ENCG.

University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco

Hassan Khallaf, PhD student,Department of Sociology,Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Social Sciences University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco

PhD student,Department of Sociology,Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Social Sciences

University IBN ZOHR, Agadir, Morocco

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Published
2019-07-09
How to Cite
Sguenfel, M., & Khallaf, H. (2019, July 9). Converting local cultural heritage into a tourism place resource: the case of ait bou guemmaz valley in the moroccan high atlas. Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research, 2(3), 195-212. Retrieved from https://jthr.es/index.php/journal/article/view/74