Background

National governments have demonstrated clear commitment to fulfil their mandates for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in ways compatible with national development goals, and to identify a diverse range of financing solutions for biodiversity management. UNDP believes a transformation is needed in the way biodiversity finance is planned and managed to unlock the resources required to meet the Aichi Targets defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan 2011-2020 as well as post 2020 biodiversity framework. The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) has estimated that Sri Lanka would require additional 30 billion Sri Lankan Rupees to achieve the national biodiverisity targets by 2024.

 

In the first phase of the BIOFIN implementation in Sri Lanka a Biodiversity Finance Plan was developed and three proposed solutions were supported by the project to implement at pilot scale. One of the selected initiatives was to develop a National Sustainable Tourism Certification Scheme with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. SLTDA was able to develop the first ever national certification scheme for accommodation sector and it was successfully launched in 2019. As the second phase of the Certtification Scheme, it is proposed to extend the certification to destination management as well.

 

Tourism is a vital economic sector for Sri Lanka, accounting for more than 5 Percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and providing direct and indirect employment opportunities for 170,000 and 220,000 persons respectively. Further it has been identified as the second highest net foreign income earning industry to Sri Lanka.The government policy framework -Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour has identified developing tourism as an environmental and domestic culture friendly industry with extensive people’s participation as a key priority. In this context, it is timely to establish a destination certification criteria and promote those criterions as key guiding principles for determining future development finance to the destination improvement.

UNDP seeks the services of a national consultant who could support the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Autority to develop destination management certification scheme and manage the first round of certification.

 

SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES    

 

Scope

The Consultant should have an extensive experience on sustsinable tourism management, including of international and local tourism trends. Further s/he should be conversant with the current global developments related to the destination management, sustainability certification and the post covid requirments of tourism sector. It is expected that the consultant will adhere to the principles proposed by Roadmap towards Safer and Resilient Tourism Sector in Sri Lanka which will be available by end of June 2020. The consultant should work under the guidance of the Team Leader-Climate and Environment Team and the Director General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. Further s/he should seek technical guidance from Senior Technical Advisor of BIOFIN and the National Project Coordinator of BIOFIN as required.

 

The overall objective of the this Consultancy is to review the international best practices on destination certification and develop a national sustainable tourism certification  system for Sri Lanka inline with agreed set targets by the industry stakeholders. The scope of the assignment also covers the conducting stakeholder consutations, provide inputs to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority on the steps to be taken to institutionalize the National Sustainable Certification scheme and support the SLTDA to manage the first iteration of the NSTC-Destination Certification in 2020-2021.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Specific responsibilities of the consultant are as follows:

 

 

Expected Output/Deliverables

 

 

TIMEFRAME

The envisaged time frame  of the consultancy  is 100 days within a 12 months duration

Competencies

CONSULTANT PROFILE     

The prospective consultant should have following competencies and qualifications.

 

COMPETENCIES 

 

Technical

  • Strong analytical, writing and advocacy skills;
  • Excellent organizational  skills;
  • Ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations;
  • Ability to manage and work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.

 

Partnerships

  • Ability to seek and apply knowledge, information and best practices from multiple sectors;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of case studies and progress reports;
  • Excellent leadership, coordination and team working skills.

 

Results

  • Builds strong relationship with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships.
Required Skills and Experience
  • A Master's degree, preferably in the field of tourism, development, international relations or any other relevant field; with’;
  • At least ten years of executive work experience in developing and implementing national scale tourism strategies and action plans, ideally involving international donors;                     Or;
  • A Bachelor's degree, preferably in the field of tourism, development, international relations or any other relevant field;  with;
  • At least fifteen years of executive work experience in developing and implementing national scale tourism strategies and action plans, ideally involving international donors;                  And;
  • Strong professional working capacity to identify destination management issues, trends and key principles of sustainable destination management;
  • Ability to identify potential innovative mechanisms to support biodiversity financing requirements of the destinations;  
  • Understanding of tourism stakeholders, challenges in post COVID revival of tourism industry and sustainable tourism development will be an added advatange;
  • Very good inter-personal skills;
  • Excellent language skills (writing, speaking and reading) in English;

 

 

HOW TO APPLY

  • To apply please access UNDP Jobs site http://jobs.undp.org.

 

The application should contain:

  • Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work;
  • Updated CV to include qualifications/competencies and relevant past experience in similar projects and contact details of 3 professional referees who can certify your competencies, professionalism, quality of writing, presentation and overall suitability to this TOR;
  • Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a combimation of factors including cover letter, the credentials on offer and brief interview (optional) and the offer which gives the best value for money for the UNDP;
  • Please send the Financial Proposal separately to the following e-mail address: consultants.lk@undp.org  stating the vacancy number/position  in the subject line.

 

 

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL   

All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee: LKR (_______________________________________)

Or

All Inclusive Daily Fee: LKR (_____________________________________)

Amount in words:

(Rs._______________________________________________________________)

 

Note: Payments will be based on invoices on achievement of agreed milestones i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR and certification of acceptance by the UNDP. The applicant must factor in all possible costs in his/her “All Inclusive Lump Sum Fee” including his/her consultancy and professional fee, travel (economy class flights is required to and from the Duty Station) honorarium, board and lodging, and any other foreseeable costs in this exercise. No costs other than what has been indicated in the financial proposal will be paid or reimbursed to the consultant. UNDP will only pay for any unplanned travel outside of this TOR and Duty Station on actual basis and on submission of original bills/invoices and on prior agreement with UNDP officials. Daily perdiums and costs for accommodation/meals/incidental expenses for such travel shall not exceed established local UNDP DSA rates.

 

For an Individual Contractor who is 65 years of age or older, and on an assignment requiring travel, be it for the purpose of arriving at the duty station or as an integral duty required travel under the TOR, a full medical examination and statement of fitness to work must be provided.  Such medical examination costs must be factored in to the financial proposal above. Medical examination is not a requirement for individuals on RLA contracts. 

 

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES

Payments will be based on milestones certified by the National Project Coordinator -BIOFIN

.

Payment Milestones will be as follows: .

  • An inception report providing details of the work programme along with a time line -10% of the total payment;
  • A progress report after developing the National Sustainable Tourism Certification-Destination Management programme- 40% of the total payment;
  • Finalized National Sustainable Tourism Certification-Destination Management criteria- 30% of the total payment;
  • Final progress report after completing the certification award ceremony of National Sustainable Tourism Certification-Destination Management- 20% of the total payment.

     

     

    UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workplace, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

     

     

 

 

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workplace, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

 

 


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