Merzouga is renowned for its dunes, the highest in Morocco. The village adjoins indeed the largest erg of Morocco erg Chebbi.
Merzouga has become a tourist attraction pole of primary importance for this region of Morocco, allowing the development of a hotel industry, both locally and in the neighboring localities of Errachidia and Erfoud.
Merzouga has also been known by students from France and Europe for more than a decade to be the base for the famous student Raid, the Raid 4L Trophy, which installs its bivouac there with its some 1,200 cars each year.
The equilibrium of the Merzouga site is threatened by the anarchic construction of hotels, the tourist overcrowding and the development of "mechanical sports" (quad).
This hotel tourism has an ecological impact overexploitation of water resources and non-compliance with wastewater treatment rules.
