Visit Badrashin! A responsible tourism strategy for an inclusive and innovative rural economy

Description of Project

The project activities have been structured along four work packages:

1) Responsible tourism sector Business Development Services (BDS) hub;

2) Badrashin responsible and rural tourism;

3) Responsible and rural tourism cluster;

4) Project Management.

Overall objective: Contributing to inclusive and sustainable rural employment by strengthening the capacity of local youth and women in Badrashin to develop and deliver market oriented tourism with innovative and value added products and services.

The target beneficiaries are: Start-up, existing MSMEs in the tourism sector in Badrashin District (Abu Sir, Sakkara, Dahshur Pyramids complex). The final beneficiaries are: New entrants in the labor market, unemployed women and youth affected by the drop in Badrashin.

The project outcomes are to 1) Improve MSME competitiveness in the responsible tourism sector through the creation of both a mobile, physical Hub and an open-source virtual Hub for BDS, networking services, and cross-sector communication within rural tourism, to 2) Transform local rural assets into a resilient, tourism-based products and services with effective linkages with tour operators and media; to 3) Strengthen the capacity of local start-up and MSME to promote and operate market-responsive rural tourism products and services targeting strategic market segments 4) Implement the project in a timely and adaptive manner to secure the targeted outputs and a smooth exit strategy.

Description of Actual Services Provided

The main outputs and activities are:

Op 1.1: 150 MSMEs contribute to the growth of rural tourism in Badrashin municipality with innovative services and products

• Implement a Needs Assessment targeting MSMEs in Badrashin, and mapping key local stakeholders (private and public) into a preliminary responsible tourism cluster.
• Tailor BDS and technical training into an adapted MSME curricula for responsible tourism product and service innovation.
• Recruit 150 start-up and existing MSMEs into physical hub programming in partnership with key local stakeholders.
• Implement MSME capacity building program, including business and technical workshops, hands-on sector specific training, field visits and exchanges.

Op 1.2: An operating virtual BDS Hub offers information, training and counseling, sectoral knowledge, and linkages with public and private stakeholders

• Design and launch virtual BDS hub, integrating structures for community participation using ICT (computers, mobiles).
• Create e-learning and knowledge exchange tools using ICT tools (videos, photos) for the publication of MSME best practices in virtual hub.
• Promote the content of virtual Hub at community level, deliver information sessions on its use and participation.
• Establish M&E practices for e-learning, such as Hub user interaction and structures for client feedback on training tools and curricula design.

Op 1.3: 30% cluster participant MSMEs access financial services

• Design training program for financial inclusion, targeting women and youth in partnership with key local stakeholders.
• Deliver financial education outreach and training activities (micro-finance schemes, Village Saving and Loan Associations).
• Host a series of accessible financial market networking events, facilitating dialogue between MSMEs and formal financial service providers.

Op 2.1: 6 tour packages defined, tested and co-marketed using ICT digital promotional tools and campaigns

• Implement a participatory market analysis of responsible tourism opportunities in Badrashin with start-up and existing MSMEs in the rural tourism sector.
• Select and design 6 responsible tours, including 3 thematic visitor centers focusing on Badrashin rural assets and agricultural heritage (agro-foods, handicrafts).
• Test and implement pilot tour packages using in partnership with select MSMEs and tour operators in responsible tourism sector
• Cross-promote and collectively market final tour packages using digital promotion tools on social media platforms

Op 2.2: MSMEs from the responsible tourism cluster increase sales of their products and services by 50% within high income markets (tour guiding, catering, hosting, food and craft products)

• Establish a community validated branding strategy for responsible tourism in Badrashin, including branding tools (label, trademark, promotion materials print and video).
• Publish online virtual tours tools for selected tour packages, integrating promotion materials and basic visitor information.
• Co-develop with responsible tourism cluster a yearly program of events and festivals (catering, hosting, tours)
• Launch a ‘Visit Badrashin’ responsible tourism campaign using effective dissemination channels (social media, mass media, newspapers)

Op 2.3: 2000 community members participate in responsible tourism activities

• Train and mentor select MSME and entrepreneurs in responsible tour guiding, including digital booking and visitor feedback tools
• Promote values of Slow Food and Fair Trade principles through a series of community educational events, including the dissemination of awareness raising tools
• Co-develop an inclusive structure for community participation in responsible tourism tour packages, events and festivals

Op 3.1 A regional Badrashin responsible tourism strategy is endorsed and adopted by 75% of cluster MSMEs

• Deliver vision workshop into a cluster action plan, Endorse vision into responsible tourism charter, Co-develop a business strategy for cluster MSMEs and validate Visit Badrashin brand policy.

Op 3.2 Establish a sustainable model for the governance of a responsible tourism cluster

• Deliver monthly cluster events, Establish an e-governance platform for cluster and mentor cluster governance board.

Op 4.1: Project is implemented in a timely and adaptive manner ensuring effective communication among all project stakeholders