The promotion of sustainable mountain tourism requires the development of a structured, accessible offering that embraces new trends and practices in the sector, Moroccan and French tourism stakeholders said Wednesday in Lyon.
The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, as well as institutional stakeholders and professionals from both countries, with a shared ambition of rethinking mountain areas as genuine destinations for tourism, experiences and economic development.
Discussions focused on French and Moroccan experiences and ways to open up prospects for cooperation in training, accommodation, development planning, territorial promotion and the creation of new tourism offerings in this field.
"In Morocco, mountain tourism is becoming increasingly popular. After developing its coastal areas, the Kingdom now seeks to further develop this segment," said Benoît Robert, director of Cluster Montagne, a network of French stakeholders operating in the sector.
In this regard, he highlighted "the extraordinary potential Morocco has in the form of beautiful, unspoiled mountains and an interesting cultural heritage that deserves to be showcased," stressing that investments in infrastructure and mountain roads are improving accessibility and facilitating the development of tourism activities.
The future of regions can no longer rely solely on their landscapes or hiking activities, but depends on a more structured, immersive offering better adapted to new tourism trends, according to the organizers.
"Local development: jobs and tourism attractiveness," "innovation in mountain tourism," and "partnership projects and opportunities" were the main themes discussed during the first edition of the Moroccan-French Mountain Meetings, held partly in the Oisans massif in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Welcoming the promising cooperation with Morocco in the tourism sector, Philippe Meunier, vice-president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Council, called for further efforts to promote exchanges and the sharing of expertise and experience among stakeholders from both countries.
The participants also stressed the need to enrich the mountain tourism model, which has traditionally been built around hiking, nature and sports activities, by diversifying the range of offerings.
Mountain areas can now become destinations for gastronomy, wellness, handicrafts, cultural discovery, agritourism and immersive experiences, he said, stressing the importance of attracting new visitor segments, extending stays and spreading economic benefits more widely.
MAP: 17 September 2026
