Tourism development and promotion project of El Mechouar citadel: Issues and limitations

Abstract

This paper examines the conservation process of the monuments of the Medina of Tlemcen, by their tourism development and their integration into daily life through the assimilation of tourism operations and strategies that have been put in place to support these projects in Tlemcen. The Medina of Tlemcen is one of the exceptional Muslim cities, in terms of space organization, cultural and architectural heritage. It has established itself as a unique city over the centuries. Therefore, the Medina offers the most important historical monuments of Islamic urban planning in Algeria, which can still be seen at the beginning of the 21st century, although the onslaught of modern urban planning and social and economic changes have revealed that these buildings are unsuitable for present-day urban life. El Mechouar Citadel, one of the greatest archaeological and historical monuments in Tlemcen, offers an architectural richness that highlights the outstanding artistic and technical creativity of the different dynasties that succeeded each other in Tlemcen. In the late 1990s, several initiatives were launched to enhance its value and eventually lead to its restoration. However, these projects never succeeded in developing it as a tourist destination and integrating it into the socio-economic life of the local inhabitants and users. Indeed, tourism associated with the historical monuments of the Medina of Tlemcen can be an effective and sustainable alternative to protect and inherit the Algerian cultural heritage, while meeting the economic needs of society.