Tourism
Kitesurfing in Dakhla, desert trips, oases and heritage towns, with a growing number of direct flights.
Photo: Nomadz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tourism in the southern provinces is built around one internationally famous product, kitesurfing in Dakhla, and a much wider range of experiences that are only beginning to be discovered: desert and coastal 4×4 trips, birdwatching, oases, and the heritage of towns such as Smara and Tarfaya.
Dakhla and water sports
The flat water and steady winds of the Dakhla lagoon attract kitesurfers from around the world, and the town hosts international competitions. Kite camps, eco-lodges and hotels have grown along the lagoon shore, and direct flights now link Dakhla with France, Spain and the Canary Islands as well as Casablanca.
Beyond the lagoon
- Nature: the Khnifiss Lagoon national park and the coast’s migratory birds.
- Heritage: Casa Mar and the Saint-Exupéry story in Tarfaya, the zawiya at Smara, the camel market in Guelmim.
- Desert and coast: 4×4 trips to the White Dune, Plage Blanche and the empty Atlantic shore.
- Oases: guesthouses in the palm groves of Asrir and Tighmert near Guelmim.
Opportunities
Small-scale, high-quality accommodation, guiding, sport tourism and food experiences built on local seafood, camel milk and Saharawi tea are the areas with the most room to grow. Tourism projects are among those eligible for sector support under the national investment charter. See Invest in the south.
Other sectors
Fisheries
Some of the richest Atlantic fishing grounds, with octopus, sardines and a growing processing industry.
Renewable Energy
Wind and solar parks along the coast, and some of Morocco’s largest planned green hydrogen projects.
Ports & Logistics
A deep-water Atlantic port under construction at Dakhla, and a new expressway linking the south.
Phosphates & Mining
Phosphate mining at Bou Craa, linked to the coast by a conveyor belt about 100 kilometres long.
Agriculture
Greenhouse vegetables around Dakhla, camel farming, and a desalination project to irrigate new farmland.