ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Venue: Fairmont Taghazout Bay Hotel
(For professionals only)
To know where we are going, we must first understand where we come from. Taghazout Surf Expo has recognized this by engaging a team of 15 researchers (professors and doctoral students) from the Ulysses Lab Network (Belgium) and the Laboratory for Research on Languages and Communication at Ibn Zohr University (Larlanco, Morocco). Working in the field since 2021, they have delved into the historical, urban, architectural, and socio-economic evolution of Taghazout to assess the impact of surfing in the region. Their work has notably highlighted the trend of digital nomadism, for which Taghazout is a preferred destination. This year, we’re very proud to offer a special roundtable discussion on the “Surf Towns and Villages in Morocco” label, which we hope will be the first step on the road to achieving this label by 2025. Two other roundtable discussions will allow researchers to share their findings with professionals. Similarly, the pitch space in the ephemeral village will host 4 workshops promising rich interactions with the public.
This scientific aspect, unprecedented in a professional expo of this kind, provides valuable resources for the sustainable development of the local surf industry, in harmony with the environment and its residents, in line with the values that Taghazout Surf Expo aims to promote.
Our Workshops:
Challenges and Opportunities:
The research conducted as part of Taghazout Surf Expo is compiled in a publication that will be distributed at the end of the expo. Spanning several disciplines (tourism, marketing, communication, sociology, architecture), this synthesis highlights, among other things, the strong involvement of the local population in the tourist development of the region and the importance of the city›s multicultural identity, shaped by surfing.
However, tourist development presents environmental challenges: protecting natural spaces, preserving water resources, managing waste, and so on. Similarly, at the socio-economic level, the upgrading of tourist infrastructure must be integrated physically and socially with the traditional heritage, so as not to segregate part of the population.
To address this, researchers have recommended a paradigm shift in how to «sell» the Taghazout destination. The idea is to move away from marketing logic to create value by placing the region and its residents at the heart of the development project. In other words, instead of asking «what do customers want?» the question becomes «what does the community want to offer and share?» This approach caters to the tourists› need for authenticity while improving the living spaces of the residents.
Surf Towns and Villages in Morocco
DATE:
Thursday, October 24, 2pm to 5pm
Venue:
Fairmont Taghazout Bay Hotel
description
The “Surf Towns and Villages in Morocco” label is a quality label designed to promote towns and villages that provide a welcome and a favorable environment for surfing, both for the local population and for tourists. This roundtable will bring together the players involved in the process of creating a label in order to engage them in the development of the project.
Objectives
- Stéphanie Crabeck, Lab-réseau Ulysse, HEPH-Condorcet (Belgium), director of Lab-réseau Ulysse, researcher specializing in tourism destination development
- Christophe Guibert, University of Angers (France), sociologist specializing in the relationship between surfing and public policy
- Florian Lebreton, Université Littoral Côte d’Opale (France), InRenT, Sociology – Sports Sciences
Surfing and digital nomads
DATE:
Friday, October 25 from 10am to 1pm
VENUE:
Fairmont Taghazout Bay Hotel
description
This roundtable will highlight the growing importance of this topic in a rapidly expanding market. The digital nomad lifestyle and the passion for surfing are growing in popularity, making it essential to create accommodation offers adapted to both trends.
Objectives
The main objective is to formulate concrete recommendations for accommodation providers, investors and industry professionals. Our aim is to provide clear guidelines and strategies for the design and implementation of high-performance, competitive hosting offers.
Moderator:
- John Van Den Plas, Lab-réseau Ulysse, EPHEC (Belgium), anthropologist, researcher on digital nomadic clienteles
Guidelines for surf and bodyboard competition organisation
DATE:
Friday, October 25, 2pm to 5pm
VENUE:
Fairmont Taghazout Bay Hotel
description
This roundtable, hosted by the Royal Moroccan Surf Federation, will bring together key speakers, including players from the surf and bodyboard industry, members of the local community and surf associations.
Objectives
The aim is to create a roadmap for the organization of international surf and bodyboard competitions in Morocco and Africa. Participants will bring their expertise and perspective to explore development opportunities, logistical challenges, sports tourism promotion and community engagement. By working together, they will help strengthen the region’s position on the global surfing scene.
- Hosted by the Royal Moroccan Surfing Federation.
SPEED MEETINGS
After each roundtable, a speed meeting is scheduled to enable local professionals to meet with guest speakers and participating institutions.
The aim is to create a space for rapid exchange between as many of the show’s participants as possible, in order to make contacts, seize business opportunities, share experiences… All in a relaxed atmosphere.
Researchers on Board
