Morocco joins International Council of Tourism Partners

(Forimmediaterelease.net) HALEIWA, Hawaii, USA; BRUSSELS, Belgium; VICTORIA, Seychelles – The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) announced its first destination partner from Morocco has joined – the Regional Tourism Council Agadir Souss Massa Draa.

ICTP Chairman Juergen T. Steinmetz said: “Morocco is committed to steering its tourism efforts in a sustainable manner with respect for the environment and its people. Its plans for responsible tourism fit in very well with ICTP’s aim to promote quality and green growth tourism.”

In 2006, Morocco created a responsible tourism charter, with the objectives to preserve the culture, values, traditions, and identity of the Moroccan environment. This charter is a commitment integrated in the “2010 vision” plan of Morocco, which aims to become one of the first twenty world destinations.

Thanks to its richness, the Souss Massa Daraa region has an objective of making lasting tourism its first magnet, by developing its natural resources through responsible and perpetual management. The Regional Council of Tourism in Agadir Souss Massa Daraa has taken important actions in order to safeguard nature.

Its “Agenda 21” places tourism and lasting development as the second priority of the city’s project. It purports international cooperation for pertinent projects revolving around the Argan tree, cactus preservation, and the education of rural women. For that purpose, many women’s cooperatives have been developed. In 2009, the “Ecolodge Atlas Kasbah” project received an eco-tourism label, for its work based on good management of natural resources and preservation of the environment.

The Regional Tourism Council prepared a responsible traveler’s guide intended for every tourist in Morocco. It is an invitation to adopt certain rules and behaviors which are respectful of the country’s local values. The organizations of touristic development themselves have to pay attention to the traditions and the culture of regions and populations and respect those values. Tourism activity has to respect cultural richness by being conceived in a way to permit the following up and the blooming of the cultural, traditional, and folkloric productions, and not to provoke standardization and impoverishment. It is also the duty of all the organizations to respect the environment through touristic development that safeguards the environment and the natural resources in the perspective of lasting economic growth, and also to fairly satisfy the needs and aspirations of present and future generations.

Fur more information about the Regional Tourism Council Agadir Souss Massa Draa,

ABOUT ICTP

The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. The ICTP logo represents the strength in collaboration (the block) of many small communities (the lines) committed to sustainable oceans (blue) and land (green).

ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support. ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, and fair coherent taxation.

ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization's Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them. The ICTP alliance is represented in Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA; Brussels, Belgium; Bali, Indonesia; and Victoria, Seychelles. ICTP membership is available to qualified destinations free of charge. Academy membership features a prestigious and selected group of destinations.

ICTP has members in Anguilla; Aruba; Bangladesh; Belgium, Belize; Canada; China; Croatia; The Gambia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; India; Indonesia; Iran; Korea (South); La Reunion (French Indian Ocean); Malaysia; Malawi; Mauritius; Mexico; Morocco; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands (USA Pacific Island Territory); Sultanate of Oman; Pakistan; Palestine; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Trinidad&Tobago; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe; and from the US: Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Missouri, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Partner associations include: African Bureau of Conventions; African Chamber of Commerce Dallas/Fort Worth; Africa Travel Association; Boutique&Lifestyle Lodging Association; Cultural and Environment Conservation Society; DC-Cam (Cambodia); Euro Congres; Hawaii Tourism Association; International Delphic Council (IDC); International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT); International Organization of Electronic Tourism Industry (IOETI); Positive Impact Events, Manchester, UK; RETOSA: Angola - Botswana - DR Congo - Lesotho - Madagascar - Malawi - Mauritius - Mozambique - Namibia - South Africa - Swaziland - Tanzania - Zambia- Zimbabwe; Routes, SKAL International; Society for Accessible Travel&Hospitality (SATH); Sustainable Travel International (STI); The Region Initiative, Pakistan; The Travel Partnership Corporation; vzw Reis-en Opleidingscentrum, Gent, Belgium; as well as university and educational institute partners.

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