The city of Tan-Tan is located in the southwest of the Kingdom of Morocco. Its people call it the transit city, it is the link between the north and the south of the country. Tan-Tan is a coastal city approximately twenty-five kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean.

The city attracts a huge number of people coming from different cities due to the maritime activity of the port, or simply for the sake of summer vacation. The city of Tan-Tan remained a free trade area until the return of the Saharan territories of Morocco in 1975.

The city of Tan-Tan has very important tourist qualifications, in which the desert nature and warm beaches combine, creating a charming panorama. The city has a deep history with diverse popular folklore. It was restored to the homeland in 1958.

Tan-Tan is a link between the north and the south of the country and has greatly attracted the migration streams flowing into the region, especially from the northern regions and neighboring areas, which are attracted by the maritime activity of the port of Tan-Tan.

The coastal city of “Ouatia” in Tan-Tan and its port specialised in marine fishing activity as well as industrial fish processing facilities; contribute to activating economic activity and creating new job opportunities, thus bringing in important migratory flows. However, the city of Tan-Tan remains the main center of the region, which still needs more equipment to strengthen its infrastructure. In general, the city of Tan-Tan remains the region’s focal point.

Tourism is considered one of the distinctive qualifications of the region as it contributes effectively to reviving the local economy.

Tourism qualifications awaiting unveiling

The city hosts a large of charming and picturesque views and natural qualities that help attract tourists who are searching for tranquility along with the clarity of the sea and pure desert weather, which provides the necessities for comfort, recreation, and full enjoyment.

The city has various tourist attractions. Oued Draa mouth is considered one of the tourist destinations in the city, and it is mouth of a valley of Draa that extends 1,200 meters. It is a pilgrimage site for vacationers from everywhere, especially from the southern provinces adjacent to the region.

Another destination for visitors of the region is the estuary of Oued Chebika, which is located on the national road between Tan-Tan and Laayoune. It is distinguished by the wonderful harmony of its golden sand beach and sand dunes.

The Ouin Medkour Oasis is located in the hinterland of Tan-Tan — there is a landscape of great beauty still spared from mass tourism. Located 29 kilometres northeast of Tan-Tan, the Ouin Medkour Oasis is located in the heart of a pass which houses the Nomads cemetery. To reach it, visitors need to count on 22 kilometres of road and 7 kilometres of track.

The city of “Ouatia” is witnessing an important urban renaissance thanks to the boom in its fishing sector. It is characterized by warmth during the winter and summer seasons, which makes it a top destination for foreign tourists.

The region is also full of several archaeological sites that are not devoid of importance, such as the caves of “Oued Boulmghair”, El Khaloua, Oued El Ouaer, the tomb of the “Giant Man” in the Rahal cemetery, and a series of sand hills and rock engravings discovered in recent years by chance. It contains rock drawings representing images of a bull and a group of hunters or snipers in a state of dancing, in addition to a carriage not drawn by horses.

However, it is located in a remote place characterised by rugged terrain, and it provides new types of tourism, such as fishing, hunting, camel trips, and motorcycle and car tours.

Tan-Tan fishing port

This region has Tan-Tan port, a port which remains more dynamic compared to other airports in the Guelmim-Semara region. It was established in 1982 to respond to the requirements of high-seas fishing and fishing in general. It has been equipped with all necessary means, including ship harbours, cargo carriers, piers, protective barriers, and ship ramps, not to mention strengthening.

This infrastructure is located in an industrial area that includes the most important units for processing fish canning, which is exploited by private sector companies. It is located on an area of ​​1,300 square meters and is used for military and civilian transport.

This port, which is the only one in the region, is at the forefront of Moroccan ports in terms of fishing. It is distinguished by its richness and diversity. It employs an important workforce and attracts investors in the fishing sector, and it has effectively contributed to the recovery of the construction sector.

Tan-Tan Moussem cultural heritage

The Tan-Tan festival, or “Moussem”, was launched for the first time since 1963 and is one of the most prominent things that the city is famous for. However, it was suspended in 1975 for political reasons, after it was transformed into a military barracks to reclaim the desert regions. It returned again in 2003 with a new look that embodies the authentic folk heritage.

The Moussem evokes customs and traditions by simulating desert life with the participation of all tribes and groups from the southwestern regions, folkloric groups from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, and desert tribes in the Gulf region.

The Moussem has the largest gathering of camels in the world, and it hosts a camel and equestrian race. It hosts dozens of pavilions that include everything related to the cultural heritage and the life of the Sahrawi tribes in this region, and the activities that had practiced since ancient times are displayed in tents erected within sight.

Over the years, the “Almogar Moussem” was able to give the city international fame, enabling it to turn into a human oral heritage through UNESCO, which receives Arab and international figures and delegations from various continents and in the fields of art, theatre, cinema, sports and culture.

The “Almogar Moussem” previously bore the name of the righteous governor, Sheikh “Mohamed Laghadf,” and was held near his shrine. Along with the Moroccan Sahrawi tribes, tribes of South Africa, Senegal, Mali, Algeria and Mauritania, made pilgrimages to it in order to revive ties of kinship and bring together the diaspora of the tribes.