TERMS OF REFERENCE – Research on Tourism in Mpumalanga

INTRODUCTION

Climate-change related impacts will likely have a significant impact on tourism in South Africa. In particular, there may be a turn away from long-distance travel, while environmental tourism sites will suffer as a result of greater heat, droughts and floods.^[1] A downturn in tourism would have a severe impact on low-income workers, small businesses and communities that depend on it for their jobs and livelihoods.^[2] However, tourism can also contribute to the economic diversification of regions, including rural areas, that are seeking to transition away from fossil fuels. Despite this, there has been little formal consideration or inquiry into these climate- and transition-related risks and opportunities for the tourism sector in South Africa, particularly in regions that will be most affected by the transition to low-carbon pathways.

PURPOSE

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) is an implementing partner of the IKI-funded Just Transition to a Decarbonised Economy for South Africa (JUST SA) programme, which seeks to support the implementation of pathways towards an environmentally sustainable, climate change resilient, low-carbon economy and just society. As part of the project, TIPS is conducting research on opportunities for economic diversification and green industrialisation in Mpumalanga. To complement this research, TIPS is seeking a service provider to conduct targeted research on tourism in the province. Specifically, TIPS is looking for an experienced researcher to critically interrogate the viability of tourism as a diversification opportunity for the Mpumalanga coalfields (broadly defined as those areas of Mpumalanga that are heavily dependent upon coal mining, coal-fired power generation and other coal-based activities).

BACKGROUND and PROBLEM STATEMENT

While tourism itself is vulnerable to both climate change and decarbonization impacts, it has the potential to absorb jobs displaced in the transition to a low-carbon economy. The potential for economic diversification in the Mpumalanga coalfields and the ability of tourism and other sectors such as agriculture to absorb vulnerable workers from fossil-fuel dependent sectors such as coal mining and electricity generation are critical in ensuring a just transition. While there is little tourism taking place in the coalfields currently, how realistic is tourism as a diversification avenue in the region? Can tourism be a key driver of new economic opportunities in the Mpumalanga coalfields. If so, how? What factor should be considered to make it so? Or will tourism have to be confined to peripheral areas (such as the eastern part of the province) for the foreseeable future? In the main, the research should provide a strong justification for further work into the identification of specific opportunities for scalable tourism projects and investments in the Mpumalanga coal belt.

SCOPE OF WORK

The successful service provider will be required to undertake the following scope of work:

1. Update TIPS’s NEVA/SJRP work on tourism, with a focus on Mpumalanga and drawing on international literature and research on post-industrial tourism and agri-tourism.
2. Interview tour operators to Mpumalanga and any other relevant key informants to understand tourism flows in the province and possible tourism opportunities in the coal fields.
3. Conduct a supply-side survey of tourism businesses in the coalfields to establish current markets and potential for disruption due to the decommissioning of coal-fired power stations and other coal-based activities in the region.
4. Identify existing inclusive economy and green/low-carbon industry initiatives in Mpumalanga related to tourism and which could be linked to existing programmes (such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership) on economic diversification.
5. Identify the adoption of low-carbon technologies, investments in low-carbon travel itineraries, and sourcing of green and low-carbon finance by tourism businesses in Mpumalanga.
6. Based on the above, develop recommendations and proposals for tangible projects and policy interventions at the interface of tourism and the just transition focusing on opportunities in Mpumalanga and the Mpumalanga coal belt specifically. (Where relevant, draw on examples of low-carbon destination development and low-carbon travel itineraries from elsewhere in the world.)

DELIVERABLES 

The following deliverables are required:

1. A short inception report
2. Regular meetings with the TIPS JUST SA Project Lead to discuss progress.
3. Draft final report
4. A workshop, including a detailed PowerPoint presentation, to present results to the TIPS (online).
5. Final report, covering inter alia, the potential for scalable tourism initiatives in Mpumalanga, tourism firms’ adoption of green tourism, low-carbon travel and just transition considerations, and practical, policy-focused recommendations to catalyze investment in inclusive, sustainable and green tourism in the Mpumalanga coal belt.
6. A policy brief drawing on the main report and a public seminar / TIPS Development Dialogue on the topic once the final report is completed and approved.

SUBMISSION OF THE FINAL REPORT

The final report should constitute:

• Final report with notes of the methodology used.
• Executive summary in Word.
• PowerPoint presentation of the report.
• Final PDF report  and policy brief

REQUIREMENTS OF SUCCESFUL TENDERER

The successful service provider should possess the following skills and experience:

• Demonstrated experience in economic development planning and policy advice for low-carbon industries and sustainable tourism development (including the formulation of business cases, good practices, and opportunity scoping).
• Good understanding of just transition issues, development finance, and the emerging literature on just transition financing.
• A successful track record of clients in the public sector and international organisations as well as not-for-profit entities, such as policy think tanks.

PROJECT GOVERNANCE

The Service Provider will report to the TIPS Just SA programme manager.

TIMELINE

The project will be expected to commence in October 2024 following contract award and to take approximately 4-6 months from inception to completion.

INSTRUCTIONS TO TENDERERS

Tenderers are invited to respond to these terms of reference by submitting the following:

1. A short (maximum 10 page) proposal that includes a description of proposed research activities, fee proposal, and proposed payment/invoicing schedule. For each activity, please describe in a table: (a) the main research objective, (b) method, (c) data sources, (d) risks and mitigations, and (e) research output.
2. Indicative work plan.
3. Profile and CV of key personnel.

The maximum length of the proposal indicated above does not include the indicative work plan and CV(s) of key personnel.

CLOSING DATE

Proposal must be sent to TIPS for the attention of Natasha Du Plessis natasha@tips.org.za 

Closing date for proposals: Thursday 12 September 2024 at 16h00