Type of contract: service contract
Capacity: 10 days
Location: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Duration: 1 months
Experience required: 5 years
- Context and background
The project ‘Together for Cultural Tourism – Cross-border Cooperation for Improved Socio-Economic Development and Preservation of Traditional Craftsmanship’ (hereinafter: the Project), aims to advance cross-border cooperation in cultural tourism and socio-economic development of the area in order to further promote cross-border tourist potential with emphasis on tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The expected results of the Project are:
- Up to 60 craftswomen and female artisans with enhanced skills to co-create and market their products as part of the tourism offer.
- At least 2 joint tourism products co-developed and jointly placed on the tourism market in participating municipalities/cross-border areas.
- New collaborations and connections between cross-border stakeholders established to support sustainable socio-economic and tourism development of the cross-border area.
Both Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are strongly committed to their EU integration paths. But the economy of the entire cross-border area is underperforming due to marginalisation and instability originating from 1990s, resulting in low investments, an unsuccessful process of privatisation that created job losses and economic deterioration. Both countries are in need of economic recovery (especially after 2008/2009 economic crisis and 2020 when the COVID-19 stroke), with the utmost need to invest in rural development.
Therefore, the Project will build the capacities of local craftswomen and female artisans to recognize the tourist potential and commercial value of handcrafts and artisan work they do as well as the products they make. They will be empowered to network, exchange and work together to jointly create tourism products reflecting local cultural heritage and traditions. Furthermore, the Project is focused on bringing together different tourism specific and non-tourism stakeholders (municipalities, tourist organizations, regional development agencies, national/federal institutions, professional associations and crafts associations) to create more synergies in supporting local cultural tourism development in the cross-border area and build momentum for the novel joint tourism products to be placed on the market. The Project will hence support a more balanced socio-economic development in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina by creating favourable conditions for handicraft producers and craftswomen in rural areas in the cross-border region. By enabling the women of rural areas to make a livelihood by producing and selling traditional handicrafts and training services, the Project will also help reduce depopulation and slow down migration to big cities. Apart from developing joint tourism products/services, this project will contribute to learning about mutual cultural heritage and cultural tourism potentials in the programme area. Therefore, the production of joint tourism products/services typical of this cross-border area will contribute to the overall increase in the quality of tourist offers in both countries and improve cultural tourism. The developed joint tourism products/services would have a positive impact on cultural tourism of the programme area that can further stimulate an influx of tourist for both countries, thus bringing economic benefits such as an increase in GDP and tourism accounts.
- Purpose of engagement
By focusing development efforts on the cultural heritage of the cross-border area, relevant stakeholders could minimize seasonality, disperse tourist offers to rural areas and lesser-known tourist destinations, and prolong tourist stays in such places. In the short term, this is a way to support the tourism sector’s recovery and adaptation to new circumstances (especially in the post COVID-19 era), while also attracting both old and new visitors to the destinations. Stimulating unique and authentic tourist product development is an important government function for attracting new types of visitors, and even completely open up to new markets, thus resulting in more evenly tourist accounts throughout the year. Diversification of tourism offers in areas rich in cultural heritage, traditional crafts and not-often-seen products/services could bring economic benefits to the local population whilst benefiting also the government in collecting additional tourist taxes thanks to more regular visits and overall increase national earnings. The development of tourist products and the diversification of the tourism offering are tools that promote economic growth, support regional development, lengthen the tourist season, and cater to new markets. Clearly, at the heart of a successful tourism sector, there is a need for a high-quality and tailored tourism product/service that still reflects the landscape, heritage, and other assets of the area it comes from, that is also influenced and shaped by consumer demand.
As one of the key branches of tourism in the Western Balkan region, cultural tourism allows visitors to learn more about heritage, tradition and customs, discover different unique experiences and consume tangible products in a cultural tourism destination. Therefore, the production of joint tourism products/services typical of this cross-border area will contribute to the overall increase in the quality of tourist offers in both countries and improve cultural tourism. The developed joint tourism products/services would have a positive impact on cultural tourism of the programme area that can further stimulate an influx of tourist for both countries, thus bringing economic benefits such as an increase in GDP and tourism accounts.
Engaged Expert will support the project staff in organizing product development process, being involved in every single stage of it, as well as available for further consultations.
- The main tasks and duties of an expert:
- Work on the initial design together with BHcrafts inhouse designer
- Develop the work instructions for proposed products
- Follow the process of prototype production
- Suggest adjustments and changes, which will easier the process, lowering the price at the same time
- Suggest and create the visual identity for all products chosen for production
- Required qualifications
- Diploma in arts, marketing or other relevant profession.
- Experience in graphic design,
- Professional experience in working with handicrafts, developing work instructions for handcrafted products,
- Willingness to work in a team,
- IT Literacy, MS Office package, Adobe package,
- Proficiency of the English language
5. Duration of engagement
The engagement is scheduled for one month, July 2024.
Other conditions
The expert will use his own office, resources, materials and computer to perform work tasks. The expert is responsible for his own health insurance and security. Necessary transport should be provided in your own arrangement. The court in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the competent legal authority for all disagreements and potential disputes.
Interested candidates can submit their applications until June 27, 2024.
Send motivation letter, CV and financial offer to the address: bhcrafts@bih.net.ba
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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