Inventory and assessment of geomorphosites for geotourism development: A case study of Ait Bou Oulli valley (Central High-Atlas, Morocco)

Ait Bou Oulli valley is located in the heart of the Moroccan central High-Atlas, with a height of 4,068 metres in Ighil M'goun and 3,800 metres in Rat Mountain. Mountain areas are characterised by higher geodiversity compared with other areas. The valley possesses a geoheritage that is very rich and diverse, has an exceptional landscape of high mountains and attracts tourists every year. However, the number of visitors is still restricted because of a lack of tools for promotion, valorisation and mediation of this heritage. It is with the aim to promote this rich heritage that the present work was performed. The work focuses on the inventory, selection and quantitative evaluation of the remarkable geomorphosites in order to classify them. The results reveal the presence of 81 potential sites, of which 24 are conducive to geotourism. These conducive sites included: nine fluvial landforms of which five are enviable panoramic viewpoints and four are karstic forms; four structural landforms; three glacial landforms: two gravitatives landforms; one anthropic landform; and one lake landform. Rich information provided by this study and knowledge of these new geomorphosites are important for promotion of tourism activities in the Ait Bou Oulli region and can assist planners and authorities to formulate suitable plans for sustained development of the region.