The Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve (ABR): entrepreneurship in ecotourism, opportunities and constraints

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to determine the role that the dynamics of tourism entrepreneurship play in the sustainable development of the ABR territories, mainly in rural areas, by identifying the entrepreneurial process and the implications of the specificities of rural tourism entrepreneurship; that is, the criteria to be operationalized in the context of ecotourism activities to promote eco-responsible development. After having evoked the theoretical and conceptual aspects relating to entrepreneurship, ecotourism and the ABR space using a literature review, an investigative study, an exploratory qualitative study, was then carried out among tourism stakeholders spread over the Souss Massa region, in the Arganier territory. At the end of our survey, we found that the ecotourism sector remains underdeveloped in the ABR, and only marginally contributes to the local economy. The tourism activity undertaken shows insufficient dynamism to propel the development of tourism and sustainable economic development of the ABR. Entrepreneurship in ecotourism would offer economic opportunities while preserving the natural environment and the cultural richness of the ABR.