The Great Oasis of Merzouga: Overview of an Exotic Morrocan Destination
by Aziz BENAMI
Tourism sector is a universal phenomenon which can be defined as a vehicle of socio-economic modernization leading to changes and evolution in the structure of societies. The world of tourism is a galaxy composed of multiple planets, ail of which are placed in an orbit. Thus, there does float exist only one but many tourisms: cultural tourism, ecotourism, adventure tourism, etc. The word tourism evokes the sun, white beaches, adventure and discovery of new horizons. Tourists are, of course, the major actors of tourism, but they are not alone. Their target is to explore unusual, exotic and magical destinations.
The development of tourism in certain countries is conditioned on the fact that the political and social climate should allow local and international investors to create new job opportunities, and the tourists to be in security. Thus, the less stable countries are the less frequently chosen by tourists. Morocco occupies an essential rank in this global concept, tourism, relatively to the regional diversification.
Thanks to the growth of tourism in south-eastern Morocco , the great oasis of Merzouga is being brought to light. The choice of writing about this region is motivated by the important role of tourism in the life of its residents. Another motivator emerges from the fact that Moroccan writers to some extent close their eyes towards the heart-felt beauty of this great oasis. On the contrary, there is real interest from foreign authors, film-makers, anthropologists, etc
Tourism in the Great South is generally characterized with different factors which motivate the curiosity of tourists to seek for calm and away from the noisy and polluted atmosphere of cities. The great oasis of Merzouga, the gateway to this impressive south, has a special geographic position allowing it to be one of the best tourist poles about which Morocco can be pride. The route to this oasis is to some extent forming an essential part of the great tour taken by tourists interested in the Sahara desert. The Saharan route has a worldwide impression as it is considered the most legendary in the planet. The tone of adventure in this area of the world has a special taste for desert tourists. Dunes of sand are the best example over which we should shed more light. Erg Chebbi, sand dunes in the great oasis of Merzouga, is one of the great sights of Morocco .It constitutes a miraculous wall-like of dunes. Besides, it is aligned almost completely north-south. The charm of Erg Chebbi, in which the highest dunes attain 150 metre , misses different attractive points considered to be the tourists’ true motives to visit the great oasis. The colour of the dunes depends, of course, on their chemical composition, but the colour also differs according to the inclination of the slope, thus according to the angle of the incidence of the sunlight. The Erg Chebbi extends over a distance of 20 km from north to south and 6,5 km towards the east. The beauty of these dunes is a real magnet for tourists, both foreigners and Moroccans. These latter targets the oasis to seek cures for some diseases such as rheumatism5. The importance of Erg Chebbi encourages many investors to found dozen of auberges6 along its edge. This situation brings the visitors to a close contact with nature as the main source of quietness. Therefore, the great oasis of Merzouga becomes a real and worth visiting destination for tourists fond of the Great South.
The harshness of the weather is particularly one of the characteristics of the great oasis of Merzouga. However, it is to some extent gentle for tourism sector apart from the period between June and August in which the temperature can rise above 50 °C . Actually, the best time during which tourists seem to visit the great oasis is the New Year’s holiday and the month of April. In summer, the oasis is used to strong winds and sand storms. As it is the case with some other Saharan destinations, the great oasis of Merzouga is mostly sunny the whole year, for the minimum sunny days reach to 330 day. Tourists spending a few days in the oasis will notice the gradual change caused by the rough climate over their skins. For this reason, they use kinds of skin balms to protect the skin from any undesirable consequence such as sunburn, etc. Spring is the suitable season for arranging trip to this oasis, moreover; we will not forget both the winter and autumn seasons which are extraordinary to make excursions inside the great oasis or even outside it towards or from other destinations such as riding camels trips done from Zogora passing through different sights: forests , Hamadas, mountains, dunes of sand, etc.
Tourist qualifications in the great oasis of Merzouga can take different facets thanks to the precious sources which it possesses. The beauty of sunset and sunrise is powerfully impressive .These natural phenomena are among the best ones worldwide. The judgment is not haphazardly made, but it comes as a result of sundry facts. When the sunbeam mixes with the golden colour of sand dunes, it gives whoever ventures inside those yellow ocean wonderful pictures for souvenirs to remember. The charm of these two phenomena lies on the magical sight left in the memories of those who have the chance to watch the beauty of this part of the Great South. It is not surprising to insist on the beauty of sunset and sunrise, but what seems surprising is when we see groups of tourists arrange trips to this great oasis only to enjoy the beautiful sights of these two natural phenomena.
Another point worth a deep analysis concerns Serji dayet. The lakes in general have an essential role in attracting not only migrant birds, but also great numbers of tourists, then, contributing in the development of economic level of destinations which depend much on lakes as the natural factor for economic promotion. The great oasis of Merzouga includes the Serji Lake as a stimulus encouraging tourists to pay visits to this charming destination.
However, it does not rely only on this lake, for it is a seasonal one. During the rainy season, which most of the time fails, the lake is provided with water from Ouad Ziz (the biggest river in the region) . It is only 150 metre far from the eastern part of the river bank. The local residents differ in naming the lake. Thus, some of them call it Serji lake, whereas others give Serji as its name. Nevertheless, this discrepancy in naming the lake should not be taken into account because the term Tefret is the name local use to refer to this Dayet in Tamazight language. It is situated in the western side of the village of Merzouga for a distance of 3,5 km . Serji lake constitutes a wonderful resort for multiple kinds of birds. It attracts scores of pink flamingos and cows. In fact, this lake offers a beautiful sight for birdwatchers. This attractiveness leads some local camel drivers to arrange expeditions towards the lake which can take about half an hour. A Japanese tourist, whom I had the chance to meet when returning with her friends from Serji lake, said when I asked about her impression, “I heard about the mystery of the lake before my coming to Merzouga, you know, I could not believe what was said,” she added, “An adventure towards the lake is itself enjoyable, you know, I feel that the beauty of the desert lies in that lake.” The last comment is very impressive as tourists get surprised to see such a lake as Serji in the Sahara .
Natural factors constitute the core of the whole qualifications of which the great oasis of Merzouga is rich. The location is exceptionally important, for Erg Chebbi, which glimmers in the horizon like a huge red mountain range in the distance, offers a magnificent way to explore the Sahara . The beauty of sunset and sunrise, in turn, forms a striking story, a story likewise those in Thousand and One Nights. The visitors to the oasis are actually the ones who can touch the charm of its nature. Tefret, the name of Serji lake in Tamazight language, is another element for which the oasis boasts. Finally, we should not forget the importance of the sunny weather because it encourages not only tourists seeking distractions, but also filmmakers who recently become interested in the nature of this great oasis.
The great oasis of Merzouga has currently been exposed to tourism sector. In fact, this region used to be a crossing point for caravans of commerce dealers coming from Sudan towards Sijilmassa. It is situated in south eastern Morocco where Ait Atta form the largest ethnic group. The Ait Khabbash who are nowadays the residents of the region of Merzouga, used to live a nomadic lifestyle.
As a matter of fact, behind any tourist destination, there stand certain qualifications and equipments which encourage tourist to pay visits. The great oasis of Merzouga, in turn, possesses a huge natural and cultural legacy. Erg Chebbi is the most impressive natural factor for those who want to explore the genuine dunes in the desert of Morocco . As I have mentioned before, natural factors in the region of Merzouga include many other beautiful sights: Serji lake, sunset and sunrise. Besides, local traditions are of great importance for those seeking new cultures. In addition, tourism in this great oasis is based upon developing infrastructure to provide the visitors with more comfort.
Tourism in the Great Oasis of Merzouga have weak infrastructure which affect the number of tourist visiting this unusual, exotic and charming destination. As a matter of fact, the great oasis of Merzouga offers great possibilities which concern tourism sector, but this industry should be rationalized so as to create the suitable atmosphere and make this region a great attraction for Tourists.