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Sector guide · 9 min readTaghazout Bay tourism licensing — surf schools, riads & experiences
Taghazout Bay (Aourir, Tamraght, Taghazout, Imourane) is the highest-growth coastal tourism cluster in Morocco. Setting up a surf school, riad, guesthouse, restaurant, e-bike rental or experience operator requires the right cocktail of tourism licence, commune permits and SMIT classification. This guide is your step-by-step.
Tourism context
- ~ 1.4M tourist arrivals/year in Souss-Massa, of which ~ 35 % cluster in Taghazout Bay.
- Average length of stay 4.8 nights — among the highest in Morocco.
- Top markets: France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Israel, USA.
- Visa-free entry for 70+ nationalities → no visa support required.
- Tourism rebrand 2026 “Morocco, Land of Light” supports Souss-Massa as “surf, sun, gastronomy”.
Choose your business type
| Business | Regulator | Set-up time |
|---|---|---|
| Maison d’hôtes (guesthouse, ≤ 8 rooms) | Délégation du Tourisme + Province d’Agadir | 3–4 months |
| Riad / hôtel classé | SMIT + Délégation du Tourisme | 6–9 months |
| Restaurant touristique | Commune + Délégation du Tourisme | 2–4 months |
| Surf school / agence d’animation | Délégation du Tourisme + autorisation maritime | 2–3 months |
| Tour operator licensing (TO / agence de voyages) | Ministère du Tourisme — caution MAD 200 000 | 4–6 months |
| E-bike, quad, paddle rental | Commune + assurance RC | 1–2 months |
| Experience platform (food tour, hammam, cooking class) | Often as agence d’animation | 2–3 months |
Maison d’hôtes — the easiest start
- Property: own, lease or long-term lease (≥ 9 years recommended).
- Permit: autorisation d’ouverture maison d’hôtes from Wilaya de Souss-Massa.
- Visit by Délégation du Tourisme commission — verifies fire safety, accessibility, sanitation, room sizes (min 12 m²), bathroom counts.
- Classification: 1 to 5 standing levels (formerly stars).
- Display the plaque de classement at entrance.
- Renewal every 5 years.
Most successful Taghazout maisons d’hôtes pair the licence with Booking, Airbnb and a direct site. Average 65–80 % occupancy in shoulder season, 90 %+ Sept–Apr.
Surf school
- Register your SARL with NAF code 9329Z (autres activités récréatives).
- Authorisation from Délégation du Tourisme as animation touristique.
- Maritime authorisation (Capitainerie d’Agadir) — required to operate on the public maritime domain.
- Insurance RC professionnelle MAD 5M minimum (Wafa Assurance, Saham, Atlanta).
- BNSSA / BPJEPS-equivalent for instructors (or Moroccan brevet from FRMS — Fédération Royale Marocaine de Surf).
- First-aid certified staff (PSC1 or local equivalent).
- Equipment maintenance log + daily ocean-safety check.
- Display tariffs (FR + EN) and refund policy.
Hôtel classé / riad classé
- SMIT (Société Marocaine d’Ingénierie Touristique) supports projects > MAD 5M with feasibility, classification and access to Plan Vision 2030 incentives.
- Investment incentive: 5-year IS exemption + reduced 17.5 % rate for 20 years for tourism-classified hotels in Taghazout Bay.
- VAT 10 % on accommodation services, recoverable.
- Classification: 1 to 5 stars; technical specs in arrêté ministériel n° 1751-02.
Restaurant touristique
- Permit from commune (autorisation d’exploitation).
- ONSSA agreement for food safety.
- Délégation du Tourisme classification (fourchette 1–3).
- Alcohol licence (if served): rare and expensive in Taghazout — most operators stick to dry concept + sister-bar in Agadir or Tamraght.
- Halieutic suppliers: source via Marché de Gros d’Anza or directly Halle aux Poissons.
Tour operator (agence de voyages)
- Caution bancaire MAD 200 000 deposited at Trésorerie Générale.
- Director must hold a tourism diploma or 5 years sector experience.
- Office must be commercially zoned with public access.
- Membership recommended: FNAVM (Fédération Nationale des Agences de Voyages du Maroc).
Experience platforms (Airbnb Experiences, Viator, GetYourGuide)
- Register as agence d’animation touristique.
- RC professionnelle insurance.
- Subcontract with licensed guides for monument visits (carte de guide délivrée par le Ministère).
- Pay TVA at 10 % on packages.
Local fees you should budget
- Taxe de promotion touristique: MAD 5–30 / night collected from guests.
- Taxe communale de séjour: MAD 5–10 / adult / night.
- Patente (taxe professionnelle): variable by activity, exempt 5 years.
- Taxe de services communaux: 10.5 % of rental value.
Useful contacts
- Délégation Régionale du Tourisme — Agadir Souss-Massa, Avenue du Prince Moulay Abdellah, Agadir.
- SMIT — smit.gov.ma.
- SAPST (Société d’Aménagement et de Promotion de la Station de Taghazout) — master developer.
- Conseil Régional du Tourisme Agadir Souss-Massa-Drâa.
- FRMS — surf federation.