TAREK – Resilient and Ecological Community-Based Tourism in the High Atlas is an international cooperation project co-funded by the European Union and implemented by COPE, in partnership with ISCOS Marche, the Tafza Association for Development, the El Amane Association for Women and Children, and the University of Catania.
The project is being carried out in the Marrakech-Safi region of Morocco and aims to contribute to the inclusive and sustainable socio-economic recovery of rural communities in the provinces of Al Haouz and Chichaoua, which were affected by the earthquake in September 2023. Through the promotion of the natural, cultural and human heritage of the High Atlas, TAREK intends to promote a model of responsible and community-based tourism, capable of creating new economic opportunities, strengthening the resilience of local communities, protecting the environment and promoting the identities, traditions, knowledge and local products of the area.
Over the course of the four-year project, the initiative will support young people, women, local associations, cooperatives and small-scale producers in a participatory process aimed at strengthening skills, promoting inclusive and sustainable micro-entrepreneurship, and developing community-based ecotourism initiatives. Key activities will include the participatory mapping of ecotourism itineraries, routes, multi-disciplinary training (including courses on eco-tourism and eco-sustainable trades – green jobs), the promotion and certification of local products, support for innovative community micro-projects, the strengthening of participatory community governance, and the promotion of dialogue and collaborative networks amongst local stakeholders.
Through a participatory approach and a sustainability-oriented approach, TAREK aims to help make tourism a driver of participatory and inclusive development that respects local resources, fostering a socio-economic recovery that places local communities and their heritage at the centre.
