URBAN TOURISTIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE COASTAL CITIES: CASE STUDY: AQABA, ALEXANDRIA, ANNABA AND CASABLANCA CITIES

Abstract

This research aims at clarifying the various opportunities offered by tourist destinations in the Arab cities (Aqaba, Alexandria, Annaba and Casablanca) from four different countries, which allow identifying the various obstacles that can pose challenges through which a comprehensive strategy for the development of urban tourism can be drawn up. The four cities (Aqaba, Alexandria, Annaba and Casablanca) are studied as case studies for this research. The directorates of tourism, traditional industries and some websites are used to obtain statistical data related to the number of tourists visiting urban destinations in the studied cities, which allowed showing paradoxes among them that increase when there is a focus on Arab coastal cities. The analytical descriptive approach was used to diagnose the various opportunities of urban tourism as well as the comparative approach to identify the different paradoxes between the four cities at the levels of urban tourism development achieved. The results revealed the practice of many urban tourism activities in the four cities, which face many challenges related to the industry sector and the consequent emergence of pollution in various forms, in addition to the seasonal tourist market and the spread of chaotic housing. This is considered as an obstacle that prohibits the enhancement of its urban tourism development.

Keywords

• touristic destination
• urban tourism
• opportunities
• challenges
• coastal cities