Result of Service
Expected Outputs and Timelines: The expected outputs of the assignment are: 1. Reporting & Coordination 1. Monthly Progress Reporting o Prepare and submit 12 monthly progress reports covering all activities undertaken and accomplished. o Measure: 12 reports submitted and approved. o Timeline: By the 30th (or 31st) of each month from January to December. 2. Quarterly Tourism Technical Core Team Meetings o Coordinate and facilitate 4 Tourism Core Team meetings, including agendas, minutes, and action points. o Measure: 4 meetings held; minutes submitted. o Timeline: By 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, and 31 December. 2. Planning, Frameworks & Technical Inputs 1. TORs for Light Infrastructure Upgrades (7 Communities) o Develop and submit validated TORs for light infrastructure upgrades in 7 communities. o Measure: TOR document approved. o Timeline: By 31 March. 2. Environmental Management Framework (EMF) o Draft and submit an Environmental Management Framework following consultations with KMC, GTBoard, and private sector stakeholders. o Measure: EMF submitted with consultation records. o Timeline: By 30 April. 3. TORs for Cleaning Tourism Sites o Develop and submit TORs for cleaning tourism sites along the coast and in Janjangbureh. o Measure: TORs approved. o Timeline: By 31 March. 4. Cross-Border Management Dialogue Programme Guide o Prepare and share a programme guide with MOTAC. o Measure: Guide delivered and acknowledged. o Timeline: By 31 May. 5. MICE Framework Technical Inputs o Provide technical inputs to the MICE Framework and present them during a validation session. o Measure: Inputs presented and incorporated. o Timeline: By 30 June. 3. Infrastructure Supervision 1. Technical Supervision of Light Infrastructure Upgrades o Provide continuous technical supervision and submit quarterly supervision reports. o Measure: 4 reports submitted and approved. o Timeline: 1st report by 31 March 2nd report by 30 June 3rd report by 30 September 4th report by 31 December 4. Events, Festivals & MICE Support 1. Janjangbureh Festival Coordination o Coordinate and support the Janjangbureh Festival and submit a post-event report. o Measure: Festival supported; report submitted. o Timeline: By 31 March (or within 10 working days after the event). 2. WAFFEST MICE Events Logistics & Hosting o Coordinate logistics and hosting of WAFFEST MICE events and submit a consolidated outcomes report. o Measure: Events delivered; report submitted. o Timeline: By 30 November. 5. Market Access & International Promotion 1. ITB Germany – MSME & Tour Operator Participation o Facilitate MSME and tour operator participation and document business leads. o Measure: Participation facilitated; leads report submitted. o Timeline: By 31 March. 2. Bird Fair Participation o Support Gambian participation, including Ninki Nanka community products, and submit a post-event report. o Measure: Participation supported; report submitted. o Timeline: By 30 September. 6. Partnerships & MoUs 1. Gambia Hotel Association (GHA) MoU o Draft, validate, and support implementation of the GHA MoU, including capacity-building activities. o Measure: MoU signed and at least two activities implemented. o Timeline: MoU drafted and validated by 31 May Implementation supported by 31 December 7. Capacity Building & Community-Based Tourism 1. Bird-Watching Training o Conduct bird-watching trainings in Kotu Creek, Abuko, and Kiang West. o Measure: At least 3 trainings conducted; report submitted. o Timeline: By 31 July. 2. Ninki Nanka Trail Code of Conduct o Conduct code-of-conduct mapping and submit technical recommendations. o Measure: Mapping report submitted. o Timeline: By 30 June. 3. Ninki Nanka Programme Capacity Building o Coordinate capacity-building activities with partners and communities. o Measure: At least 3 activities delivered; summary report submitted. o Timeline: By 31 December. 8. Knowledge Exchange & Benchmarking 1. Benchmarking Mission to Cape Verde o Design, lead, and document a benchmarking mission on tourism diversification and eco-tourism. o Measure: Mission completed; report submitted. o Timeline: By 30 September.
Duties and Responsibilities
Background: The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is fully dedicated to supporting the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It has a mission to foster inclusive and sustainable growth and development through trade and international business development. ITC Headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. ITC is implementing the EU Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) - Tourism and Creative Industries. The project has an overall objective of increasing the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and sustainability of the Tourism sector and Creative Industries in The Gambia. It has three main specific objectives of: a) improving business environment and institutional ecosystem; b) improving investment and market access; and c) increasing the competitiveness of MSMEs in The Gambia’s tourism and creative industries. These will be achieved by implementing a number of key actions, including: i) streamlining and supporting implementation of strategies and regulation for the creative industries; ii) strengthening the technical and operational capacities of business support institutions; iii) building the branding and marketing capacities of actors in the tourism and creative industries; iv) creating market linkages and investment opportunities; v) budling capacities of MSMEs engaged in the tourism and creative industries with a focus on sustainable and inclusive tourism; and vi) enhancing skills of target beneficiaries, mainly youth and women in areas which promote their employment in the tourism sector and creative industries. The project addresses a variety of challenges and constraints of the sectors, which include a) weak sector coordination and regulations, b) narrow product offering and sub-standard quality, c) limited market diversification and strong seasonality, d) skill gaps, e) climate vulnerability, and f) low sector integration and limited positive spillover effects of the sectors to the wider economy and society. The implementation of the project will enable the Gambia to diversify source markets and attract more visitors year-round, including tourists with higher purchasing power, and to boost its offering of green and inclusive products and services of the tourism and creative industries. The EU YEP Tourism and Creative Industries is financed by the European Union (EU) for implementation over a period of 56 months. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MoTIE) and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MoTC) are the key focal point government institutions for the project. The project focuses on youth and women as the main target beneficiaries. It also puts a special emphasis on vulnerable groups by creating quality jobs and pathways for skills development, business growth and sustainability. Micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) and public and private sector institutions, including, sector-based cooperatives and associations will be the target beneficiary groups of the project. To facilitate the technical lead, supervision and implementation of project activities targeting the development of the tourism sector, ITC is seeking a senior tourism technical expert to undertake the duties and responsibilities described below. Description of Duties/Responsibilities Under the direct supervision the Programme Manager and the overall guidance of the Chief for Office for Africa, and working closely with the National Programme Coordinator, the project team, relevant government ministries and private sector institutions, the Senior Tourism Technical Expert will perform the following tasks: • Lead the technical implementation of the tourism component of the project by providing expert advice and substantive technical support on activities planned to implement the various outputs of the project effectively. • Plan and organize tourism stakeholders’ engagement meetings and public private dialogues that will be required to advance implementation of the various project activities and objectives, including policy and regulatory dialogues. • Stakeholder Coordination and Policy Dialogue: In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, coordinate the quarterly Tourism Core Team Meetings, fostering dialogue between government, private sector, and development partners. Lead the hosting of a Joint Cross-Border Tourism Workshop in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the GTBoard and the Agence Senegalaise pour la Promotion du Tourism (ASPT) to improve management of cross-border tourism flows and shared resources. • Tourism Policy and Regulation: Provide technical inputs for the revision of existing tourism policies and regulatory frameworks to promote responsible and sustainable tourism. Coordinate the Validation Workshop on the findings of the Tourism Roadmap Assessment and Regulatory Framework Review, ensuring stakeholder inputs are incorporated into final outputs. • Infrastructure & Product Development: Facilitate, supervise, and monitor the implementation of light infrastructure upgrades in 7 identified communities, focusing on enhancing the attractiveness and accessibility of community-based tourism and heritage sites (Monkey Park, Wassu Ndemban and Jamali, Galoya, Tanji Kayaking, Kankurang Meseum,Talamanka Lodge). Lead the design and implementation of thematic tourism circuits (e.g., hiking, art and eco-tourism) in partnership with regional tourism offices and local communities. • Environmental Management in Tourism Zones. Coordinate the development of a comprehensive waste management framework for key tourism development areas, in consultation with Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), the Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard), and private sector stakeholders. Promote the adoption of sustainable tourism practices among tourism operators through raising awareness, capacity building, and policy recommendations. • International Benchmarking and Partnerships. Design and lead a benchmarking mission to Cape Verde focused on tourism product diversification, creative industries, and eco-tourism innovations. Facilitate partnerships and cooperation agreements with international tour operators and destination marketing agencies to enhance product packaging and joint promotion for The Gambia. • Events and Cultural Tourism Promotion. Coordinate and support the organization of the annual JanJangbureh (JJB) Festival, including the development of a digital booking system, marketing materials, and stakeholder engagement framework. Lead the organisation of the evening craft market entertainment event to improve marketing opportunities. • Community Based Tourism. Coordinate and support the implementation of the Niinki Nanka Programme, in collaboration with GTBoard, the Ninki Nanka Encounters, and community structures, to promote inclusive community tourism and youth employment. Oversee the implementation of a Water Sports Programmes, including capacity development for operators and the organization of regional and national-level competitions. • Business Tourism and MICE Development. Review and coordinate the development of the frameworks for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) in The Gambia, Green Season and Roots tourism. Coordinate the successful organization of two national or regional MICE events to promote business tourism. • Support the Marketing for Tourism MSMEs. Take part in regional and international fairs to increase visibility. Facilitate the participation of Gambian Ground Tour Operators and MSMEs in ITB fair in Germany. • Nature-Based Tourism Development. Develop a Bird Watching Programme in the Kotu Creek, Abuko and Kiang West Parks including guide training, trail development, viewing tours, wooden bridge maintenance, benches, signage and interpretive boards and targeted marketing to eco-tourists. • Public-Private Partnerships. Facilitate the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Gambia Hotel Association on institutional strengthening, capacity building, sub-regional and international marketing and promotion for hotels. Lead the capacity building and promotion on the newly gazetted Hotel Classification Standard and Aparthotels. • Project Technical Planning. Participate in the monthly technical and progress update meetings of the project to provide updates and discuss challenges and solutions geared toward mitigating them. The consultant is required to provide monthly progress report on progress of activities accomplished on the above activities, using the standard template that will be provided by ITC • Participate, present and provide input during the Project Steering Committee meetings. • Working closely with relevant government and private sector stakeholders of the tourism sector, regularly monitor evolving needs and circumstances in the sector and advise changes that may need to be made in the work plans through capturing data and analysing the needs.
Qualifications/special skills
Postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/MBA, PHD or other) Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in tourism, culture, creative industries and/or related fields. Note: A first-level university degree in similar fields may be accepted with an additional two years of relevant professional work experience. Extensive relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree. • A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in tourism, development projects, cultural and creative industries • Strong track record of engaging and coordinating partnership with stakeholders, including government, private sector, civil society and development partners. • Proven experience in tourism promotion and development, stakeholder coordination as well as in planning, monitoring and reporting of development programmes.
