LE TOURISME EN MILIEU FRAGILE : ENTRE DEVELOPPEMENT HUMAIN ET DEGRADATION ENVIRONNEMENTALE

Open Access

Abstract

International audience ; This communication aims to analyse the impact of the tourist sector in the Oasis Region in Morocco and the territorial re-organisation, also in relation to the social, economic and environmental changes that are consequently produced. The concept of poverty is here not limited to the economic situation but is extended to the potential causes of vulnerability of the poor social groups, which include, particularly, the quality of the environment and the natural resources constituting the basis of their livelihoods.This rural region, traditionally considered as a periphery if compared to the urban centres, is now valued by the government of Morocco as a new centrality for the national tourism development that could play an important role in the framework of the tourism development programme launched in January 2001 «to reach 10 millions tourists by the year 2010».The communication will then consider the new territorial dynamics as well as the environmental risks associated to the growing tourist flows. In particular, we will emphasize the role played by the civil society associations in the control and management of environmental impacts and in the promotion of a pro-active and critical attitude, capable to face a complexity of environmental and social issues. We will then focus on the rural area of Hassilabiad, and on a particular social group whose role is fundamental for the success of any development project aiming at reducing poverty: the village association.