Morocco's coastal tourism sector, a key driver of the blue economy, faces significant threats from climate change. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise pose risks to infrastructure, water quality, and overall tourist experience. The analysis estimates that by 2035, tourist expenditures could decline by 8–18%, leading to potential job losses of up to 32% in the sector, with the accommodation and food segment being the most affected.
To address these challenges, a paradigm shift from traditional "sea, sun, and sand" tourism towards a more sustainable and resilient model is needed. The government can play a crucial role by mainstreaming climate actions through policies and investments. Recommendations include:
- Improving planning: Developing and implementing integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) plans and promoting participatory planning processes.
- Investing in ecotourism: Expanding ecotourism products and promoting sustainable practices, such as using traditional building styles for thermal comfort.
- Enhancing access to finance: Providing grants, incentives, and technical assistance to encourage tourism enterprises to adopt sustainable practices and enhance climate resilience.
- Building climate-resilient infrastructure: Incorporating climate resilience measures into new tourism infrastructure and developing adaptation plans for existing structures.
- Investing in nature-based solutions: Protecting coastlines through beach defense and restoring dunes and other natural features.
- Broadening understanding of climate change: Mapping tourism employment, collecting data on tourism expenditure and tourist responses to climate change, and strengthening data collection on coastal tourism's sustainability performance.
- Enhancing capacity: Integrating climate actions into training and human capacity development programs for tourism actors, with a focus on vulnerable groups like women and youth.
- Public-private partnerships: Collaborating with the private sector to finance and implement climate resilience initiatives.
By implementing these recommendations, Morocco can build a more resilient coastal tourism sector that supports socioeconomic development, creates new jobs, and drives economic growth while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.
