Productive Reintegration of Return Emigrants and Rural Tourism: Life and Work Experiences in Sardinia (Italy) and in a Mountain Area in the Province of Marrakech (Morocco)

The paper provides a contribution to the formulation of return migration policies that seek to harness the skills gained by emigrants and channel their savings into the creation of small businesses within a local development scheme. We have drawn from experiences described by return emigrants, gathered in Sardinia and in the Marrakech province in Morocco, to formulate measures capable of generating positive opportunities for encouraging the return of migrants to their home areas, utilizing the skills gained in the hospitality industry in Europe and investing their savings in their country. The measures are also designed to offer return migrants an alternative to settling in urban destinations. The case study is concerned with a rural tourism initiative in subcoastal and interior areas as an alternative to marine and coastal tourism. Based on the premise that only those areas with a natural and cultural heritage offer good potential for the development of rural tourism, the following conclusions are presented: a) one seemingly useful form of action is for the authorities in the host countries to organise training courses for migrant workers, within the cooperation framework for assisting migrants to return to their home countries; b) it is essential for local authorities in the migrants’ home countries to improve transportation systems, facilities and tourist services in general; c) equally important in the home countries is the adoption of measures aimed at the recognition, rehabilitation and enhancement of the archaeological heritage, material culture and of traditions in general, together with the natural/ environmental resources for an integrated tourist product