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Agadir – The coastal city of Essaouira has earned new international recognition after receiving the “Best Creative Living Heritage Destination” award at the 13th Creative Tourism Awards, organized by the Creative Tourism Network.
The award recognizes destinations that successfully turn intangible cultural heritage into a driver of tourism, local development, and regional identity. According to the organizers, Essaouira stood out for transforming its living traditions, artistic expression, and cultural diversity into a distinctive tourism asset, positioning the city as a benchmark for sustainable tourism.
The city is entering a decisive phase in its tourism trajectory, focusing on controlled and sustainable growth rather than mass tourism, ensuring that tourism directly benefits artisans, professionals, and young entrepreneurs across the province.
This international recognition showcased Essaouira’s international appeal rooted in its unique history and cultural identity. Founded in the 18th century, the city has developed as a crossroads of trade and cultures, where communities from different backgrounds coexisted and shaped a distinctive art of living.
Today, the destination combines coastal landscapes, craft traditions, gastronomy, and artistic life, attracting visitors from around the world. Its historic medina, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001, reflects a rich architectural and urban heritage.
The creative tourism network recognizes destinations, projects and companies that place creativity and authentic participation at the core of their touristic strategy.
This year’s edition reached a record level of participation, with 223 candidates from 28 countries. The selection process focused on originality, the ability to build local creative ecosystems, and the integration of sustainability principles.
Essaouira as an international destination
In parallel to this distinction, Essaouira is preparing to host the 2026 annual conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, marking the first time the global gathering will take place in Africa and in an Arab city.
The decision followed a vote by member cities, where Essaouira received the highest support among candidates. The event will bring together more than 350 cities working across cultural and creative sectors to exchange best practices and strengthen cooperation around sustainable urban and cultural development.
This selection reflects the city’s cultural positioning. Since joining the network in 2019 as a Creative City of Music, Essaouira has built its place where culture and creativity are at the heart of local development, supported by festivals and heritage initiatives.
The conference is expected to highlight the city’s cultural heritage and creative ecosystem while contributing to global cultural goals and sustainable development agendas, particularly efforts linked to inclusive and resilient cities.
The 13th Creative Tourism Awards spotlight unique tourism destinations, working with international institutions such as UNESCO and global tourism stakeholders to support tourism models that empower local communities and strengthen cultural ecosystems
