The use of payments for environmental services in the development of sustainable tourism in the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve in Morocco

The Arganeraie (forests of argan trees) is one of the most important natural resources of Morocco but it faces a serious risk of degradation or even extinction. It is therefore essential to develop a model of sustainable tourism that can help to preserve this natural heritage, especially given the ever growing number of tourists. The purpose of this article is to analyze the concept of “payments for environmental services” (PES) as a method of collecting revenue to create a sustainable and structured touristic offering and to preserve the natural heritage in the region of Souss-Massa. This exploratory study is based on qualitative data collected during interviews with 80 tourists visiting Souss-Massa. It was found that the respondents were interested in the natural attributes of sites they visited and expressed their willingness to protect this natural heritage by paying for environmental services.