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Marrakech – During the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Agadir did more than host matches and fans. The city offered a deeper experience as it turned into a vibrant immersion into the soul of Souss-Massa, a territory shaped by millennia of history where every stone, craft gesture, and landscape tells an ancestral story.
To the rhythms of the region, Agadir delivered a rich sensory and cultural journey, revealing a living, deeply rooted heritage to AFCON visitors.
At the heart of this momentum stands SDR Tourisme Souss-Massa, the Regional Tourism Development Company created in late 2018 by the Regional Council.
Under the leadership of its Director General, Abdelkrim Azenfar, the SDR has positioned tourism as a strategic lever for international visibility, collective pride, and sustainable development, serving both residents and visitors.
From Agadir to the hinterland, from the Atlas Mountains to the southern oases, SDR Tourisme Souss-Massa works to reveal the region’s core identity.
Through structured projects in planning, development, and site management, it has revitalized emblematic places and created the conditions for an authentic, respectful tourism experience, one that honors territories and their memory.
Bridging past and present
A flagship symbol of this renewal is the Kasbah of Agadir Oufella, rehabilitated and enhanced as part of the Urban Development Program.
Overlooking the city, it now stands as a bridge between past and future. Alongside it, the Tourist Information Center and Agadir’s beach facilities welcome and guide visitors, serving as key hubs of discovery during AFCON and offering a living interpretation of the region.
Beyond the city, Souss-Massa unfolds through exceptional natural and cultural sites: Paradise Valley, Wintimdouine Cave, Imourane and Imouzzer Ida Outanane, the palm groves of Aït Mansour and Tiout, the Kasbah of Aghennaj, the archaeological site of Igiliz, collective granaries, and the rock art of Tata. Each site carries an ancient memory, carefully enhanced by SDR Tourisme to become a meeting point between visitors and the region’s deep history.
In parallel, the development of new Tourism Development Units, notably at Anchor Point and Imsouane, reflects a commitment to innovate without compromising the spirit of place.
Designed to balance attractiveness, sustainability, and local benefits, these projects embody a more conscious, respectful, and human way of traveling.
AFCON visitors also benefited from a strengthened and higher-quality accommodation offer.
Local empowerment
Through an ambitious program to renovate Agadir’s hotel stock and upgrade rural establishments, SDR Tourisme Souss-Massa supports operators in raising hospitality standards while fostering investment and local employment.
Destination promotion, particularly through digital channels, played a decisive role.
Interactive platforms, connected information points, and digital kiosks at the airport and across the city enabled AFCON visitors to explore, in real time, the cultural, natural, and human wealth of Souss-Massa, extending the excitement of the stadiums into the territories themselves.
Craftsmanship, a cornerstone of regional identity, was central to this celebration.
Led by Abdelkrim Azenfar, SDR Tourisme Souss-Massa launched an innovative creation and design project featuring a collection of 120 artisanal products, developed through collaboration between Moroccan designers and local artisans. The initiative illustrates the region’s ability to connect tradition with modernity and heritage with contemporary creation.
The same vision guided the organization of the Argan Tree and Handicrafts Fair, held in Agadir. A true showcase of terroir and know-how, the fair extended the AFCON momentum, immersing visitors in the world of the argan tree, an emblem of Souss-Massa, and the richness of regional craftsmanship.
Through these combined actions, Agadir made visitors’ hearts beat to the rhythm of Souss-Massa during AFCON: a region proud of its past, confident in its future, and committed to a meaningful, sustainable tourism model.
