Morocco Launches First Sustainable Tourism Certification Programme

Morocco has launched its first regional sustainable tourism certification programme in Souss-Massa. With 55 tourism businesses already certified, the initiative could become a blueprint for responsible tourism across the Kingdom. From water management to energy efficiency, sustainability is moving from promise to measurable practice.

Morocco’s first regional sustainable tourism certification program launches in Souss-Massa, creating a potential blueprint for greener tourism development across the Kingdom.

AGADIR, Morocco — Morocco is putting sustainable tourism into measurable practice. The Souss-Massa Region has launched the Kingdom’s first regional sustainable tourism certification program, with 55 tourism businesses already earning certification in its inaugural assessment round.

Driven by SDR SMART Tourisme, the Regional Development Company supporting tourism micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Souss-Massa, the programme could become a model for other Moroccan destinations seeking to balance tourism growth with increasingly urgent environmental challenges.

Supported by the World Bank’s PROBLUE programme, the pilot initiative aims to bring tourism businesses closer to international sustainability standards and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It places particular emphasis on two issues of growing importance for Morocco’s tourism industry: water management and energy efficiency.

For a country experiencing strong tourism development while confronting climate and resource pressures, the Souss-Massa experiment may prove significant well beyond Agadir.

67 Tourism Businesses Put to the Test

Unlike sustainability initiatives based primarily on voluntary pledges, the Souss-Massa programme introduces structured assessment and certification.

Specific evaluation frameworks were developed for seven tourism segments: accommodation, food and beverage, travel agencies, transportation, tour guides, tourism activities and leisure businesses.

The first on-site assessments, led by consultants James MacGregor and Chakib Lahlou, covered 67 establishments across Souss-Massa. Fourteen trained expert assessors from SDR SMART Tourisme and Centaure Innovation participated in the process to support objective and transparent application of the certification criteria.

Following review by the Technical Committee’s Certification Award Commission, 55 establishments received the new “Souss-Massa Sustainable Tourism” label.

Businesses are recognized at two levels.

“2 Leaves – Excellence” is awarded to establishments scoring between 70 and 100 points and demonstrating a high level of integration of sustainable practices.

“1 Leaf – Commitment” applies to businesses scoring between 40 and 69 points and recognizes operators already following a genuine and measurable sustainability pathway.

Importantly, failing to qualify does not mean being excluded.

Businesses scoring below 40 points are required to undertake an improvement plan and receive technical support before being reassessed within one year. This turns certification into a capacity-building mechanism rather than simply another tourism award.

Can Sustainability Make Moroccan Tourism More Competitive?

The initiative brings together the Wilaya of the Souss-Massa Region, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Souss-Massa Regional Council, the Souss-Massa Regional Tourism Council (CRT), regional chambers, and decentralized government departments.

Hassan Aboutayeb, Managing Director of SDR SMART Tourisme and Chair of the Certification Award Commission, believes sustainability can directly strengthen the competitiveness of smaller tourism businesses.

“The commitment of our assessors and the strong determination of tourism operators to transform their practices are the true driving forces behind this programme,” Aboutayeb said.

“The rapid adoption of sustainable initiatives on the ground strengthens the credibility of our approach and demonstrates that sustainability is a major driver of competitiveness for our tourism MSMEs.”

That competitiveness argument matters.

Travellers, tour operators and international tourism partners are increasingly looking beyond generic environmental promises. Destinations are being challenged to demonstrate what sustainability actually means at hotel, restaurant, transportation, excursion and community levels.

Souss-Massa offers an unusually diverse laboratory for that challenge.

The region stretches from the Atlantic coastline to mountainous and arid environments, while Agadir remains one of Morocco’s most recognised international tourism destinations. Water scarcity, energy consumption and environmental protection therefore have direct implications for the region’s long-term tourism proposition.

From Agadir to the Rest of Morocco?

The first 55 certifications may be only the beginning.

Certified businesses sign a commitment charter valid for two years, while a three-year strategic development plan aims to double the number of certified establishments in Souss-Massa within three years.