Over 30 per cent of the jobs in Morocco’s coastal tourism sector, a pillar of the country’s blue economy, could be lost by 2035 due to the effects of climate change, according to the World Bank report.
A recent World Bank report warns of the significant threat to Morocco’s coastal tourism sector, a key pillar of the national economy.
According to the report, up to 32 per cent of jobs in the sector could disappear by 2035 due to the effects of climate change.
Entitled “Impacts of climate change on Morocco’s blue economy: employment prospects in coastal tourism,” the report predicts a decline in tourism spending of between 8 per cent and 18 per cent by 2035 if climate resilience measures are not implemented.
“The accommodation and catering sector of coastal tourism is expected to suffer the greatest job losses, possibly exceeding 32 per cent in the most pessimistic scenario,” says the report, published on September 24.
The report added that this alarming situation can be explained by the labour intensive nature of this segment. Small businesses, which often lack the financial resources to cope with major shocks are particularly vulnerable,
The analysis shows that restaurants and hotels would be hardest hit, followed by entertainment and arts services and the transport sector.
Job losses in coastal tourism, particularly in hotels and restaurants, could also have a negative impact on women’s participation in the labour market.
Coastal tourism currently generates over 300,000 jobs in Morocco, across all age groups and accounts for about 30 per cent of total tourism. The main coastal tourism regions are Agadir, Tangier-Tetouan and Casablanca. In the Souss-Massa region, coastal tourism around Agadir accounts for 70 per cent of tourism demand.
To avoid these job losses, the report calls for a “paradigm shift” from the traditional “sea, sun and beach” model of tourism to a more sustainable and resilient model.
This includes developing ecotourism products, building climate resilience into new tourism infrastructure, using nature-based solutions to protect coastlines and building the capacity of tourism businesses to take climate action.
“Investing in climate action will lead to better development outcomes,” the report noted.
“Climate-resilient coastal tourism will promote socio-economic development, create new jobs, and stimulate economic growth. The government has an opportunity to build resilience by integrating climate action into the implementation of the 2023-2026 strategic tourism roadmap.”
The report was funded by PROBLUE, a multi-donor trust fund hosted by the World Bank that supports the sustainable development of marine and coastal resources.
RT/ac/sf/lb/GIK/APA