Community-based Ecotourism Consultant

📢 Job Opportunity with WCS!

WCS is looking for a “Community-based Ecotourism Consultant” to join our team.

📍 Location: Savannakhet, Lao PDR
🗓️ Duration: 2 months
• Title: Consultancy for Laving Lavern Community-based Ecotourism Feasibility Study
• Type: Consultant
• Reports to (Supervisors): WCS Savannakhet Program Technical Advisor
• Country Program/Sector: WCS Lao Program, Greater Mekong Region, GCP
• Expected travel: As required within the country to field offices, and internationally if/when needed

• Background:
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US nonprofit, tax-exempt, private organization established in 1895 that saves wildlife and wild places by understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a US-based, nonprofit global conservation organization that saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education and inspiring people to value nature.

The WCS Lao PDR program was established in 1993 and has successfully implemented projects with the Lao Government especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Local government agencies with more than 30 projects supported by more than 30 donors. WCS core supports are to improve the management of biodiversity by enhancing technical capacity for government officials and local partners, improving the management of wild places by involving communities in protected areas management including wetlands, and improving responses to wildlife trafficking and wildlife health.

• Context
The Laving Lavern National Protected Area, on Savannakhet Province’s border with Vietnam, lies at the southern end of the Northern Annamites. It borders Khoun Xe Nong Ma to the north and natural forest habitat extends further northwards along the Annamite Mountains through Vietnam and Laos, up to Xieng Khouang Province. The Lao PDR Government has made ecotourism a strategic direction in its national economic plan. The ongoing “LLL” project is, in part, responding to this with an ambitious prospectus for companies to develop ecotourism activities and infrastructure in Protected Areas. Community Forest Development Villages (FDV) can also be recipients of LLL funding.

Under the RT project, WCS is looking for a consulting firm/individual to undertake an eco-tourism market assessment and feasibility study to identify appropriate opportunities that will provide local communities with alternative livelihoods, at the same time as promoting biodiversity conservation in Laving Lavern.

• Objectives of the Assignment:
The main purposes of conducting the feasibility study are:
• Review of current status of ecotourism activities in Laving Lavern and surroundings, placing Laving Lavern in context of other tourism nearby, within Savannakhet and Laos.
• Assess whether there is potential for linkage with Xe Champhone where WCS is also promoting community-based ecotourism
• Conduct a market assessment on current markets and future projections. Identify suitable ecotourism sites as well as the corresponding potential tourism products and services for each site to assess which products and services best fit market needs and potential demand – outline how products can have linkages to the conservation of critical species and habitat.
• Discuss potential enterprise models, with detail on governance, management arrangements, potential community-private tour company partnerships, revenue-sharing mechanisms with communities, staffing tenure arrangements, training, taking into consideration positive and negative impacts on environment, community and culture, providing examples to demonstrate potential impacts where possible.
• Analyze the associated costs and benefits of the identified ecotourism initiatives, and recommend preferred options based on criteria relating to benefits for conservation and communities and enterprise financial sustainability.
• Assess community and private company interest and capacity in suggested ecotourism activities
• Determine actionable steps for implementation of ecotourism activities in the form of a roadmap
• Identify implementation risks and formulate recommendations to mitigate those risks
• Share findings with relevant stakeholders for further development of ecotourism.

🔍 Scope of Work and Activities:
The consultant will support the following workstreams:

The period to complete this work is expected to be from the contract start date December 2025 to -February 2026. A briefing meeting with WCS will be arranged at the commencement of the assignment to clarify the scope of the assignment

1. 📝Deliverable
• Deliverable 1: Work plan including any questionnaires prior to fieldwork and establishing an expected Table of Contents for the final report through discussions with Savannakhet Team
• Type: Work Plan
• Estimated Submission Date: December 5, 2025.

2. 📝Deliverable
• Deliverable 2: Presentation of initial findings and draft report
• Type: Draft Feasibility Study & Presentation
• Estimated Submission Date: January 27, 2026

3. 📝Deliverable
• Deliverable 3: Final feasibility report (full report in English with an abridged Lao Language summary for Govt./communities) and updated presentation
• Type: Final Feasibility Study & Presentation
• Estimated Submission Date: February 15, 2026

🎓 Qualifications:
The consultant must conform to the following qualifications:
• Proven experience in conducting ecotourism studies;
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of the tourism sector in Lao PDR including the legislative frameworks;
• Exceptional understanding of the tourism and conservation sector;
• Fluency in both English and Lao languages is preferred (mixed language team of consultants also accepted).
• Excellent interpersonal skills and cooperative attitude
• Good ability to meet and multi-task deadlines
• Dedication to conservation and sustainable development.
• Have experience working with Savannakhet PoE and DoE and good knowledge of the Savannakhet Landscape.

📬 To Apply:
Interested candidates, who meet the above qualifications should apply by emailing an application cover letter and CV to 📧 rvanzalinge@wcs.org and othongsavath@wcs.org

🗓️ Deadline: 21 November 2025

📝 Subject line: Please include “Application for Community-based Ecotourism Consultant” in the subject line of your email.

WCS is an equal opportunity employer, and the organization complies with all employment and labor laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in hiring and ensures that candidates from all backgrounds are fairly and consistently considered during the recruitment process. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment and look for future team members who share that same value. The organization provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified candidates. The organization does not discriminate for employment based on age, color, disability, gender identify, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by laws and regulations.