Tourism Cluster Development Mobilization - ARE Activity

Project Name:                   Lebanon Agricultural Rural Empowerment Activity

STTA Title:                          Tourism Cluster Development Mobilization

Reporting to:                     Chief of Party and/or Deputy Chief of Party

Ceiling LOE:                        10 Working Days (8 per below plus 2 flex days)

Budget line:                      STTA

Period of performance:  3 months

Project Background

The Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) program is a multi-year project funded by USAID to develop rural economies in Lebanon through support to the agro-food sector and other industries to unlock local and export sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and worker’s incomes. ARE will increase jobs; improve incomes; improve female participation and employment opportunities; increase domestic and export sales; increase private sector investment; improve access to finance; link value chain actors to domestic and international markets; and improve farm production through improved practices, technology, increased volume, and/or decreased cost, sales potential while also creating jobs and increasing farmers’ and workers’ incomes.

ARE designed a private sector-led tourism cluster development approach (attached in Annex 1) will work with partners with a clear commercial approach and revenue model and will focus on two primary areas:

1. Product Development and Marketing: Development and promotion of new touristic products and services, touristic themed routes, printed and electronic materials (guides, cultural products, etc.), destinations, excursions, activities, festivals and fairs, etc. Product development may also provide material support to existing businesses to expand their touristic offerings and increase revenue streams/improve marketability. Digital marketing will be a focus across all product development efforts and will be integrated with training and capacity building efforts as described below.
2. Training and Capacity Building: Working with local tourism stakeholders and businesses to improve business performance, quality of service provision, and marketing. Focus areas for training and capacity building are small and medium-sized hotels and rural guesthouses (less than 50 rooms), tour guides, tour operators and travel agents, restaurants, artisans, national parks, museums, cultural heritage monument operators, and others as opportunities arise.

Both core components of ARE’s strategy for tourism sector support are mutually reinforcing. For example, new product development may be supported through small grant schemes, which in turn will require complementary training and capacity building of operators and business owners in both management as well as more technical areas specific to their product or service. Interventions will be designed where relevant to combine sub-interventions that supports both target areas.

ARE will limit interventions to already identified core sub-sectors: Wine and Gastronomy, Eco-Tourism, Agro-Tourism, and Adventure Tourism. In addition to the proposed stand-alone interventions summarized below, tourism firms and other stakeholders will still be encouraged to submit concept notes in the Champion Firm APS (APS-001) if the project ideas match well the scope of this partnership opportunity.

Summary of Assignment

ARE is looking to recruit Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) to support with the mobilization of key stakeholders within ARE’s identified clusters (Cluster 1: Batroun, Becharre, Tannourine, Cluster 2: Jbeil, Jounieh, Kfardebian, Cluster 3: Saida, Chouf Jezzine). Such support includes the identification and mapping of key tourism stakeholders and MSMEs within the identified clusters, their introduction to ARE’s cluster development approach, enrolling them in the new product and marketing seminars. The consultant will also lead the briefing of ARE’s International Tourism Expert either prior to, or upon, arrival in Lebanon. The consultant will also recommend and help arrange meetings between the international expert and key national level stakeholders based in Beirut.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities (Tasks)

1. Compile a list of touristic actors and stakeholders -including tour operators- within the three clusters as per details and format agreed upon with ARE. (0.5 Days LOE)
2. Introduce shortlist of validated touristic actors and stakeholders to ARE’s tourism strategy and invite them to the new product and marketing seminars (one in each cluster) two weeks before event date (TBC). (3 days LOE/1 Day per cluster)
3. Shortlist and recommend high potential businesses in each cluster for a dedicated site visit, with justifications for each business to be visited. (0.5 Days LOE)
4. Consolidate a mobilization report in a well-structured narrative format in English, to be delivered prior to the arrival of ARE’s international expert (on/about November 15-18, 2021). (0.5 Days LOE)
5. Prior Sector-Level briefing and present mobilization report and key recommendations to ARE’s international expert. (1 Day LOE)
6. Support with the organization of meetings between the international expert and national tour operators, and other key national level stakeholders in Beirut (either virtual or in-person pending COVID situation), join and facilitate the meetings with national stakeholders. (2 Days LOE)

Final report that combines the mobilization report with summaries of meetings/seminars facilitated by the consultant. (0.5 Days LOE)

Place of Assignment

The Tourism Cluster Development Mobilization Consultant is welcome to work from ARE’s program office space in Beirut as needed though adherence to Chemonics’ COVID-19 policies and procedures regarding office access will be required. S/he is expected to self-drive to needed meetings in order to gather the necessary information. ARE may also provide transportation with project vehicle if/when ARE staff join site visits and/or in other extraordinary circumstances (i.e. fuel shortages).

Reporting

The Tourism Cluster Development Mobilization Consultant will report directly to the ARE Chief of Party and/or Deputy Chief of Party / Chief Technical Officer.

Qualifications

• University Degree (preferably Master level) in Tourism, Business Administration, or other relevant field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the tourism industry in Lebanon, with a focus on Gastronomy & Wine, Agro, Eco, and Adventure Tourism sub-sectors.
• Minimum of 7 years of recent relevant experience (within the last 15 years) in identifying, analyzing and/or implementing sustainable tourism development initiatives in Lebanon or internationally,
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize and connect with a diverse array of leading tourism stakeholders in Lebanon.
• Demonstrated experience in the design and implementation of technical assessments and/or market systems analysis of the tourism sector and/or related sub-sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as in a team structure, versatility, and integrity.
• Strong interpersonal, analytic, and written communication skills.
• Fluency in spoken and written English required, Arabic preferred.