Eco-tourism advisor in Tajikistan

Tajikistan is home to vast swathes of beautiful scenery and a blossoming tourism industry which has recently been named the 3rd best value destination in the world. VSO is working in Tajikistan to develop all aspects of the tourism industry in Tajikistan, which can offer excellent opportunities for economic growth, sustainable employment and income generation. This is an exciting opportunity to work with the Nature Protection Team (NPT) to develop Tajikistan’s eco-tourism in one of the most beautiful locations in Central Asia.

What does the role involve?

Working with the NPT you will build the capacity of the community based wildlife management partners. To do this you will:

• Train and support NPT partner’s in community based wildlife management including:
• Conducting market assessments of wildlife tourism
• Business planning
• Developing a high quality, responsible and competitive tourism product
• Providing high standards of service provision to all customers including all logistics.
• Respond to foreign demand to develop eco-tourism products (including nature observation, hiking, mountaineering, and sustainable hunting)
• Market the tourism products locally and internationally and communicate with potential clients
• Support the tourism service in using the income to make conservation economically sustainable
• Support managers and other community members in continuous motivation and business development
• Input into VSO funding proposals and programme development using your technical expertise.

Skills, qualifications and experience required

You’ll have a degree/qualification in business or a tourism related field as well as significant professional experience working in the tourism industry, preferably in sustainable or eco-tourism. You’ll have a good understanding of tourism development in developing countries, ideally within the context of nature conservation. You’ll need to be an excellent communicator with highly developed diplomacy skills and a positive and proactive attitude. Ideally you will have experience of influencing policy and statutory bodies. You will have a positive attitude towards hunting as a means of conservation and the ability to work in a cross-cultural environment. In addition to all this, you will be a flexible and creative person, with an appetite for adventure!

And the rest...

You’ll be based in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Dushanbe, one of the prettiest cities in Central Asia is the home of huge amounts of Persian history. Tajikistan boasts the spectacular Pamir Mountains, known as the ‘roof of the world’.

We’ll ask you to commit 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to development goals and in return we’ll provide you with invaluable training before your placement, a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation and insurance. When you return to your home country we’ll help you resettle and we’ll invite you to stay involved with us through campaigning, development awareness raising and fundraising.

How to apply:

To apply for this role please go online to: http://www.vsointernational.org/volunteer/find-out-more.asp

Please put the following reference on your application form: TAJ0074/0001/0001