The Mobilization of Heritage into Touristic Territories Construction and Hinterlands Development: The Case of Souss Hinterlands-Morocco

From historical monuments, natural sites, archaeological sites, to festivals and local products, these constitute heritage resources that not only meet a tourist demand but also diversify the offer. Heritage resources must be valued and mobilized in tourism development projects. Existing heritage thus represents assets and potential to develop tourism in Morocco in general and in the hinterland in particular. The development initiatives undertaken through territorial projects of tourism mobilize various territorial and heritage resources. We therefore find it interesting to focus our thinking on the logic of building these touristic territories and the heritage processes affecting their resources. Heritage is a social construction and the implementation of territorial projects is a pillar for heritage dynamics. This leads us to believe that there is a synergy between heritage and development. In this context, the objective of our research focused on the forms of heritage processes affecting heritage objects, focusing on the different territorial and heritage resources mobilized in tourism development in the Souss hinterlands. The aim of this research was to study the interrelationships between heritage, tourism and territorial development by determining the conditions under which heritage can be a vector for sustainable development.