Background

The mainstreaming Biodiversity in the Tourism Sector Project is a GEF/UNDP project commenced in January 2014. The four years project aim is to make the consideration of biodiversity a fundamental part of everyday planning and development for tourism in Jordan. More specifically, the Project Objective is: Biodiversity conservation objectives are effectively mainstreamed and advanced into and through tourism sector development in Jordan.

The project scope includes three components, each reflected in one strategic outcome as follows:

Outcome 1: Regulatory and enforcement framework in place to avoid, reduce, mitigate and offset adverse impacts of tourism on biodiversity. This Outcome is the institutional regulatory framework, and it addresses each of the identified threats. It contributes directly to the Objective since it provides key instruments for mainstreaming biodiversity. It will be applied at the upstream national level.

Outcome 2: Institutional capacities for planning, monitoring and enforcement strengthened in Jerash, Petra and Wadi Rum landscapes so as to manage the impacts of tourism development on biodiversity within ecologically valuable and sensitive areas.    This Outcome targets the capacity required for effective management of PAs as well as valuable ecological areas outside the formal PA system. It addresses the identified threats and contributes to the Objective by ensuring that mainstreaming is effective in providing protection for biodiversity. It will be applied at the landscape level with the aim of changing the trajectory of tourism development, thus addressing direct and indirect threats to biodiversity.

Outcome 3: Improved management effectiveness particularly in revenue generation, tourism planning and management, and community relations in Dibbin, Petra proposed Protected area and Wadi Rum Protected Area.  This Outcome targets PA management effectiveness overall as well as the ecological integrity of ecological corridors. It contributes to the Objective indirectly through more robust management regimes for PAs which allows them to overcome the impacts of tourism and recreation. It is applied at the site level, particularly in protected areas.

About Rum

The project has identified the Greater Wadi Rum locality as a landscape of 133,180 ha within the Hizma Basin of which the Wadi Rum Protected Area forms an integral part (see Figure 1 below). The locality is to be found within the administrative territory of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) which is a financially and administratively autonomous institution responsible for the management, regulation, and the development of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. ASEZA’s marketing strategy for 2010-2015(http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADR522.pdf) does not include Wadi Rum in its recommendations and action plan. The marketing strategy is based on promoting Aqaba as the main point of entry to Jordan and increasing the number of days in Aqaba (also serving as the key overnight location).  In this strategy, Wadi Rum is only mentioned as a link useful to ASEZA.  The brand objective positions Aqaba as the hub for visiting Aqaba, Petra and Wadi Rum.

ASEZA does play a role in the distribution of relevant collaterals, representing WRPA at tradeshows and where possible, including WRPA in press releases and editorials.  Visitors to Aqaba have access to two visitor information offices, both of which stock Wadi Rum brochures and the site is also promoted as a part of the Aqaba experience.

Duties and Responsibilities

This assignment lies under outcome three mentioned above, which targets the PA management effectiveness overall as well as the integrity of ecological corridors in and around the three target sites/PAs. It is applied at the site level, particularly in protected areas.

The aim of this assignment is to lead the process of development of Wadi Rum PA business Plan, as integral components of the site management and development strategies and local communities’ involvement framework. Ultimately this leads to mainstreaming them all into the overall management strategy of Rum site with primary focus on ecotourism and associated socio economic development program.

This assignment is designed to recruit a national business planning expert to lead and facilitate the process of the preparation of the site Business Plan for Rum Protected Area and link it to local community participation, capacity building and benefit sharing.

The ultimate deliverable anticipated from this assignment is an Integrated Business Plan for management of WRPA and local communities that helps in increasing the income while conserving natural and cultural values of the site. The objective of the business plan of Rum is not to make a profit, but rather to improve the management of the protected area and make it financially as well as ecologically and socially sustainable. Generating revenue is no more than a mean to an end – improved park management.

Technical Tasks

The expert will lead the task for the business plan deliverable and will include the following activities:

• Conduct stakeholder analysis for WRPA including interviews and surveys to gather information about existing businesses and potential developments;
• Conduct analysis of budgetary implementation of previous years, identify the funding gaps and recognize the existing sources of income;
• Analyze the existing business model for WRPA including the current financing model, the sources of income, cost/profit centers, benefit sharing frameworks and so on;
• Explore potential new businesses for the WRPA and local communities;
• Research a credible framework for the development of the business plan for Wadi rum and seek its adoption by the key stakeholders;
• Develop the overall business model for the WRPA including costs structures, profit/income sources, financing framework, budget approach and accounting principle;
• Produce a Business Plan document for Rum PA and local communities; the document will include, but not limited to, the following components;

Long-term Financial Planning for WRPA, this may include, but not limited to:

• Financial planning process;
• Spreadsheet overview (Threats Matrix, Activities Matrix, Fund-Raising Worksheet, Personnel Worksheet, Operating Expense Worksheet, Expense Detail and Revenue Allocation);
• Projecting protected area expenses;
• Projecting Protected Area revenues.

Identifying New Sources of Revenue:

• Valuing goods and services at a Protected Area;
• Ranking key goods and services at a Protected Area;
• Identifying consumers of key goods and services;
• Identifying markets for key goods and services;
• Identifying appropriate finance mechanisms.

Linking the WRPA Program and Financial Strategies

Financial management of expenditures

Revenue mapping

Long-term Strategy

Business profile; to describe WRPA business, including its location and purpose, and also it includes information about WRPA/ASEZA.e.g. Expertise, experience and education.

Analysis of internal and external business factors; describe and analyze WRPA services and products, and use this analysis to make decisions about pricing products and services and the best locations, risks and threats, analysis of cost/profit/income structure…etc.

Marketing plan; Outline WRPA marketing strategies which aims to attract new clients and/or keep existing ones, and how to link these strategies with ASEZA Market strategies?

Operation and Management plan; Describe WRPA how to operate the day-to-day activity.

A business plan for the achievement of the preferred business model with components on capacity building, investments, monitoring, auditing, and so on.

Action and implementation plan; this includes, but not limited to, the following:

• Putting the business plan into action and performing tasks according to the predefined schedule within the limited timeframe;
• Training the staff that will implement the business plan after the end of the assignment;
• Setting the framework for measuring results of implemented business plan;
• Activities to integrate the local community in the business development process;
• Overseeing site development initiatives.

Required deliverables

This assignment is divided into four phases.

Phase One: Inception phase.

Duration: two months.

Activities:

• Identifying stakeholders;
• Conducting interviews;
• Review of research and relevant documentation;
• Site visit;
• Local Workshop.

Deliverable:

• Inception report; a comprehensive situation analysis of the current WRPA business strategies (legally, institutional and technically), a detailed modality for the assignment delivery, its implementation arrangements, the technical methodologies, the institutional coordination structures, the detailed workplan, and a detailed budget;
• Power point presentation at the end of this phase to show the phase achievements and the assignment progress.

Phase Two: Conceptual Plan phase.

Duration: two months.

Activities:

• Analyze stakeholders;
• Analyze data collected and the existing business model for WRPA;
• Site visit, interviews;
• Workshop.

Deliverable:

• Proposed business model as a part of the analysis results;
• Power point presentation at the end of this phase to show the phase achievements and the assignment progress;

Phase Three: Business plan phase.

Duration: one month.

Activities:

• Meeting with stakeholders to share initial strategy;
• Update and finalize strategy based on feedback.

Deliverable:

• Final Business plan document for Rum PA site. (Include all parts mentioned above);
• Power point presentation at the end of this phase to show the phase achievements and the assignment progress.

Phase Four: Training.

Duration: one month.

Activities:

• Develop training material and agenda for 3-day training workshop on “Business Planning for Protected Area";
• Implement the 3-day training workshop.

Deliverable:

• Training material and agenda;
• Conduct a 3-day training workshop;
• Monthly progress reports and final assignment report with a presentation including lessons learned, future recommendations; and possible upcoming challenges.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal skills, communicatin and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team;
• Ability to plan and organize his/her work, efficient inmeetingcommitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Openess to change and ability ton receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A graduate degree in business planning, marketing, or other related disciplines.

Experience:

• At least ten years of experience in business planning and development, marketing planning, site development and local  communities and private sector involvement;
• Well established knowledge of the national tourism development strategies and action plans;
• Well established knowledge and experience in ecotourism and socio economic development strategies and applications;
• Excellent communication skills with private sector and local communities in regard to participative planning and community based socio economic development.

Languages:

• Excellent writing and reporting skills in English and Arabic.