Powering Green Sustainable Tourism Planning and Recovery Consultant

Fiji

Organization: GGGI - Global Green Growth Institute
Location: Fiji
Grade: Consultancy - Individual Consultant F
Occupational Groups:
- Operations and Administrations
- Development Cooperation and Sustainable Development Goals
- Environment
- Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
- Sustainable trade and development
- Disaster Management (Preparedness, Resilience, Response and Recovery)
- Public, Private Partnership
- Sustainable Tourism
Closing Date: Closed

Powering Green Sustainable Tourism Planning and Recovery Consultant

Based in Seoul, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) is an intergovernmental organization founded to support and promote a model of economic growth known as "green growth", which targets key aspects of economic performance such a poverty reduction, job creation, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. GGGI works with developing and emerging countries around the world, building their capacity and working collaboratively on green growth policies that can impact the lives of millions. The organization partners with countries, multilateral institutions, government bodies, and private sector to help build economies that grow strongly and are more efficient and sustainable in the use of natural resources, less carbon intensive, and more resilient to climate change.

GGGI supports stakeholders through complementary and integrated workstreams in green growth planning, policy development, investment, implementation, and knowledge sharing that deliver comprehensive products designed to assist in developing, financing, and mainstreaming green growth in national economic development plans. GGGI’s interventions emphasize change in four priority areas considered to be essential to transforming countries’ economies including energy, water, sustainable landscapes, and green cities.

Project Background

Tourism is a key sector of Fiji’s economy. It used to contribute directly and indirectly an estimated 38% of GDP[1] and directly employ around 40,000 Fijians and nearly 100,000 indirectly both in the formal and informal sectors.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented collapse in tourism in Fiji, due to international travel restrictions, placing an incredible strain on the Fijian economy. The drastic drop in arrivals impacted businesses immediately; more than 50 percent of tourism businesses were either hibernating or fully closed by mid-May. A survey conducted by IFC and the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport (MCTTT) found that in May 2020, 29 percent of tourism businesses and 11 percent of non-tourism businesses surveyed anticipated bankruptcy within six months. Similarly, more than 60 percent of tourism businesses anticipated closing or moving away from the tourism sector by November 2020, if the situation did not change.[2]

The Fijian Government’s long term strategy is to increase the value of tourism by growing arrivals from high value markets; increasing the share of tourism revenue retained in the local economy; and spreading the benefits of tourism throughout the country. The strategic drive to develop sustainable, high value and diversified tourism will be the foundation for COVID-19 tourism recovery. As part of this strategic approach, the Fijian Government, through MCTTT, has committed to the development of a Sustainable Tourism Framework. Following a recent consultation, MCTTT discussed working with GGGI to develop the Framework in collaboration with other partners.

The Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) is currently developing a Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Framework including a component on green recovery to limit the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The goal is to have Pacific Island Countries apply this regional framework to develop national-level sustainable tourism frameworks and plans.

The GGGI project will support the design of Fiji’s Sustainable Tourism Framework, by providing green principles for the Framework and identifying existing or potential financial mechanisms or investment opportunities and discussing these with potential implementing agencies to support a green COVID-19 recovery in the Tourism sector.

Objectives/Purpose of the Assignment

The objectives of this consultancy are to: 1. Support GGGI in developing green investment opportunities for the green COVID-19 crisis recovery of the tourism sector , and 2. Research and develop green tourism principles[3] applicable to the Fijian context that will inform the creation of the new national Sustainable Tourism Framework that will be developed by the Tourism Unit of MCTTT together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are also an opportunity to put Fiji’s tourism industry on a new pathway of sustainable and inclusive growth by boosting resilience, clean energy transition and creating green jobs. A definition of green jobs in tourism in Fiji is provided in the Ministry of Economy and GGGI report “Fiji Green Jobs Assessment, A Preliminary Study of Green Employment in Fiji, July 2019” where it states: “Green tourism jobs are consistent with the ILO green jobs definition, are more environmentally sustainable than standard work in the sector, and contribute to the following:

Protection or restoration of nearby ecosystems, and protection of biodiversity, in consultation with landowners (through conservation agreements, education, monitoring, etc.);
Work with host communities to contribute to inter-cultural understanding and biodiversity protection;
Increased resilience to climate change; and
Improved energy, water and other resource efficiency (and in general reduced carbon footprint); and
Reduced production and release of waste and pollution into the environment.
Active policies and actions to accomplish the above goals (e.g. fulltime conservation staff).

This definition was discussed with the SPTO and several resorts, NGOs and tourism service providers in 2019. The activities and outputs of the project aim to support: GHG emission reductions; greening the jobs in the tourism industry and displaced workers; increased access to sustainable services; and enhanced adaptation to climate change.

Institutional Arrangements

The Consultant shall work closely with the following institutions and offices:

GGGI Fiji Country Office, located within the Ministry of Economy in Suva
Fiji Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport,
Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO),
International Finance Corporation (IFC),
Tourism associations such as the Duavata Sustainable Tourism Collective, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association and Society of Fiji Travel Associates,
The private sector from the tourism sector,
Others as identified by GGGI

Scope of Work

Throughout the project, the consultant shall work closely with GGGI and discuss tasks, event plans and activities as they progress. The consultant will report to GGGI but will work closely at all times with the Tourism Unit of MCTTT. .

Specific tasks for this assignment shall include the following:

Review existing literature on sustainable tourism in Fiji and the Pacific, this would include but is not limited to the following documents:

Development of a sustainable tourism policy for Fiji, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO),
Regional Sustainable Tourism Planning Framework currently under development by SPTO,
Fijian Tourism 2021, MCTTT,
Policies of protected area management, marine protected areas, etc
Environmental Impact Assessments regarding tourism development (if available)
Academic research on community -based tourism and sustainable tourism in Fiji, as well as coastal zone management and marine spatial planning for Fiji (if available).

Collect best practices and lessons learned from other SIDS and coastal nations’ national tourism strategies and policies on green and sustainable tourism development. Identify specific policy and strategy interventions that were successful in increasing the sustainability of tourism in these countries or destinations.

Based on Step 1, make recommendations on the best way to build upon policy strengths, take-up recommendations made by academia and others and identify any potential bottlenecks or conflicting advice/interests regarding sustainability in tourism. Make recommendations on how to fill gaps/resolve bottlenecks or resolve conflicts, based on best practices gathered in step 2.

Working with Tourism Fiji research sustainable tourism from a demand perspective mining available market data such as the international visitors survey. This should include understanding how sustainable tourism demand to Fiji has changed over time, specific market segments that engage in more sustainable activities, sustainable tourism contributions to the economy, etc. The results of this research should provide a rationale for increased focus on sustainable tourism in the development process.

Conduct stakeholder consultations with public, private and civil society, in collaboration with partners, to better understand the implication of policies, programs and regulations that both support and inhibit sustainable tourism development in Fiji with a specific focus on the impacts on the private sector.

Based on research gathered in steps 1 to 5, develop green principles to guide the development of Fiji’s new national sustainable tourism framework. The framework itself will be developed by MCTTT with the support of IFC. The consultant will work with MCTTT and other development partners to determine the best format for the green principles such as a section within the framework or as a set of recommendations to integrate across the framework.

Identify existing or potential new financial mechanisms or investment opportunities to support a green COVID-19 recovery in the tourism sector and prepare 4-5 idea notes (approximately 5 pages each). Examples of components that could be included are:

Schemes to engage workers in the tourism sector and those in supporting industries through re-training and/or re-purposing skills,
In line with the European Green Deal, a new model of greener production and consumption can drive the tourism sector recovery in Fiji by for example promoting a circular economy and resource efficiency in the tourism sector by reinforcing and enhancing the interdependent relationship between tourism and ecosystem services (reefs, mangroves, forests) and ensuring sustainable agriculture production, improving domestic supply chains.
Existing or new fiscal incentives, credit lines or grant programs which could be adapted or created to support a green tourism recovery.

Participate, provide inputs (PPTs) and present in workshops and stakeholders consultations related to this topic (organized by GGGI or by other partners).

Output/Reporting Requirements/Deliverables:

The consultant shall report regularly to the Project Lead. The consultant must work as part of a team with GGGI, and other partners at all times. Microsoft PowerPoint and Word products must be delivered using GGGI templates.

Proposed deliverables include:

Inception report including workplan and stakeholders engagement plan,
Draft report summarizing information gathered and recommendations, encompassing Steps 1 to 3
Final Guidance Note with green tourism principles for the Sustainable Tourism Framework, and recommendations on how to integrate the principles into the Framework
Final report (including deliverable 2 with any feedback received integrated) with idea notes on investment or financial instruments to support the green recovery,

All of the consultant’s work products developed and used for this project will be transferred to and become the property of the GGGI. Information from the deliverables may be used directly by MCTTT and may flow into the new national sustainable tourism framework, in which case, those specific outcomes will become the property of the Fijian Government.

The following is the payment schedule for deliverables.

Output/Deliverable	Percentage of Max Amount	Due Date
Deliverable 1: Inception Report	10% (USD 2,500)	30^th April 2021
Deliverable 2: Draft report summarising information gathered and recommendations, encompassing Step 1-3	30% (USD 7,500)	10^th June 2021
Deliverable 3: Final Guidance note on green principles for the Framework	30% (USD 7,500)	5^th July 2021
Deliverable 4: Final Report with investment opportunities or financial instruments, including 4-5 idea notes	30% (USD 7,500)	4^th October 2021

Qualifications/Experience/Expertise

An advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent preferred) in a discipline related to sustainability, tourism, economy or business;
At least 2 years of professional experience in SIDS or in the Pacific region;
At least 8 years of professional experience in tourism and sustainability;
Direct prior experience developing subnational or national level strategies for tourism growth with a focus on sustainability would be an advantage;
Strong research skills and ability to understand, synthesize and present information succinctly.
Direct prior experience working with the private sector, non-governmental organizations and/or governments;
Knowledge and experience related to tourism and green growth in the Pacific region;
Experience supporting the development of a financial instrument;
Excellent and dynamic presentation skills;
Strong command of Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint software;
Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills in English;

Documents to be submitted:

CV and cover letter
Writing sample

Additional Information

Date to close is Korean Standard Time (KST) – Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Only CV´s in English will be reviewed.
Contract duration: March 2021 - November, 2021 (50 work days estimated, part-time)
Contract value is up to USD 25,000 (depending on credentials)