"The USAID Resilient Communities Program Field Placement": Republic of Georgia Tourism Development

International Internship Program:

Working with Small Tourism Enterprises in the Regions of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Imereti.

Project Background:

The USAID Resilient Communities Program is a five-year year activity of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by CNFA along with Solimar International. The primary objective of the USAID Resilient Communities Program is to improve the resiliency of target communities to benefit from inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development to create jobs, increase incomes and increase micro, small and medium enterprises` (MSME) revenues, thereby countering protracted malign influence.

Tourism is a priority sector in all the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) local development strategies; the region has an abundance of tourism sites and a fledgling tourism infrastructure. Adventure and cultural tourism are intertwined with unique agritourism. While tourism is developing in the mountainous regions, not all households will be able to be tourism providers. However, there are opportunities for households to indirectly participate in the tourism sector - as suppliers of food and crafts. On the other hand, there are municipalities with high potential for cultural tourism, as they can offer tourists folklore, crafts, ethnography, cultural or historical sites and monuments, and pilgrimage sites. To reach these goals, the Program will implement a market-system approach to develop and expand viable value chains in the ABL improving the competitiveness of MSMEs and supporting associations and service/information/extension providers to foster inclusive and sustainable market systems development.

Field Placement Details:

This field placement will give a motivated individual who is passionate about making a difference through sustainable tourism the opportunity to work in-country alongside a team of international and Georgian tourism experts, and Georgian university students. The participant will work with a group of small tourism enterprises participating in an Enterprise Development Market Readiness Technical Assistance Program developed by industry experts at Solimar International, aimed at improving capacity and profitability of small tourism enterprises and to prepare the region to be "market ready" for visitors eager to explore unique accommodations and experiences in Georgia.

The interns will be supported by the Solimar`s Home Office team, the in-country Solimar team, and the USAID Resilient Communities CNFA team.

Source: jobs.ge