1) BACKGROUND
In 2014 the Government of Timor-Leste created the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and established the Special Zone of Social Market Economy (ZEESM) in Oé-Cusse district (an enclave nestled within Western Timor province of Indonesia and with an estimated population of 85,000). As part of the rollout process, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been providing the ZEESM office with policy advice and support since its establishment. The framework for this support was built around two components: (i) governance and (ii) sustainable and innovative development, which aligns with the priorities articulated under East Timor’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 to establish special zones of the social market economy to transform the lives of the people of Oé-Cusse with an integrated approach to sustainable, social and economic development.
In 2022 the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Special Zone of Social Market Economy (ZEESM) and UNDP agreed on continuing this support through the implementation of “Support for Institutional and Sustainable Development of Oé-Cusse Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the Special Zone of Social Market Economy (ZEESM TL) –Phase III 2022-2025” project which aims to create sustainable economic opportunities, promote resilience to climate change, and ensure quality public services by supporting three key components; I) Livelihood and Economic Diversification, II) Clean and Safe Water and Forest Management and III) Effective and Accountable Governance.
Despite some progress over the years, the Region’s livelihood development and economic diversification remain underachieved. The employment rate of the working-age population was 47.8% (43.2% for women; 52.3% for men) which was higher than the national average of 45.2%. However, most of them are self-employed or “contributing family workers” who work in ‘vulnerable employment’ (70.9%). Tourism sector is seen as an opportunity to increase the livelihood of the population of Oé-Cusse and Community Tourism is one of the strategic pillars of ZEESM TL to achieve development in Oé-Cusse.
Oé-Cusse is one of the least-explored tourist destinations in South-East Asia and also in Timor Leste. It is blessed with diverse unspoiled landscapes, indigenous flora and fauna, abundant marine life, a complex history, traditional cultures, and hospitable communities. While the richness and diversity of Oé-Cusse tourism products offer huge rewards to adventurous, discerning, and nature-conscious travellers, tourism is still in its infancy stage. Oé-Cusse hosts just a handful of international travellers, with most of the visitors being domestic, and the contribution to the economy is minimal.
In order to promote Oé-Cusse as preferred destinations for travel, the Regional Administration is seeking to developing the regional tourism marketing strategy to attract both international and national visitors to the region and develop institutional partnerships to enhance Tourism industry in the region.
This terms of reference (TOR) defines scope of work, expected outputs/deliverable, key qualifications etc. of an international consultant to support the Project and the Regional Administration to develop the tourism marketing strategy to increase the inflow of visitors into the region.
Job Features
