Recruitment of a specialized **Technical Assistance for the design, development and launch of a virtual platform for the promotion of sustainable tourism in destinations of Upper Egypt**

**1. Introduction**
Within the framework of the program *Promotion of Sustainable Economic and Social Alternatives Based on Tourism in Upper Egypt with a Special Focus on Women and Youth* implemented by CIDEAL Foundation with financial support from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), a specialized technical assistance is required for the design, development and launch of a digital platform aimed at promoting sustainable tourism in destinations of Upper Egypt.

The platform will serve as a strategic digital tool to promote sustainable tourism in Luxor and Aswan, strengthen the visibility of local entrepreneurs—particularly women and youth—and foster coordination among tourism stakeholders.

**2. About CIDEAL Foundation**
CIDEAL Foundation for Cooperation and Research is an independent organization with 40 years of experience in implementing international cooperation projects in developing countries. Its main areas of work include productive development, generation of livelihoods, women empowerment and youth promotion. CIDEAL currently implements programmes in Upper Egypt focused on strengthening tourism value chains, fostering innovation, and promoting public-private collaboration.

**3. Context and justification**
Upper Egypt holds strong potential for the development of sustainable and community-based tourism. The region’s rich cultural heritage, landscapes, traditional crafts and local experiences oRer opportunities to diversify tourism and promote more inclusive local economic development.

Within this context, the programme implemented by Fundación CIDEAL with the support of AECID promotes initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism value chains, supporting local entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, and encouraging collaboration among tourism stakeholders.

The digital platform “Discover Upper Egypt” seeks to consolidate these efforts into an accessible digital space that enhances the visibility of sustainable tourism initiatives, facilitates access to information for visitors, and strengthens connections among tourism actors in Luxor and Aswan.

**4. Objectives of the Technical Assistance**
The overall objective is to design, develop and launch a fully operational multilingual digital platform that:

1\. Promotes innovative, inclusive and sustainable tourism initiatives in Luxor and Aswan.
2\. Showcases entrepreneurs supported by the programme.
3\. Enhances visibility of underrepresented destinations and experiences.
4\. Provides practical tools and resources for tourism entrepreneurs.
5\. Offer accessible and reliable information for potential visitors interested in discovering sustainable tourism experiences and products in Upper Egypt.
6\. Facilitates networking and coordination among tourism stakeholders.

The platform shall be available in Arabic, English and Spanish
Target audiences: tourists, entrepreneurs and tourism stakeholders (government entities, NGOs, universities, agencies, private sector actors).

**5. Scope of Work**
The selected company will be responsible for:
• UX/UI design
• Technical development
• CMS configuration
• Multilingual implementation
• Testing and debugging
• Hosting and domain configuration
• Post-launch technical support
The assignment includes full-cycle development from conceptual design to launch, stabilization and maintenance.

**6. Platform structure**
The platform is expected to include several sections combining general information about the initiative (such as Home, Contact and Project) with content specifically designed for key actors in the tourism ecosystem (entrepreneurs, stakeholders).

These sections will provide visibility to tourism destinations and experiences in Upper Egypt, promote local entrepreneurs and initiatives, and oRer relevant information and resources for tourism stakeholders.

The final structure, navigation and detailed content organisation will be agreed with CIDEAL.

6.1. Technical requeriments
The platform must comply with the following minimum standards:
• Responsive design: Fully functional on desktop, tablet and mobile devices.
• Multilingual CMS: Content management in Arabic, English and Spanish, allowing easy updates by CIDEAL.
• SEO optimisation: Basic optimisation for tourism-related search terms, including metadata and sitemap configuration.
• Performance: Optimised loading speed and smooth navigation, including in low-connectivity areas.
• Accessibility: Clear typography and adequate colour contrast.
• Open access: No login required for public content.
• Data protection: Secure data handling and spam protection mechanisms.
• Hosting & support: Hosting, domain configuration and minimum 12 months of post-launch technical support.
• Intellectual property: Full ownership of the platform and its contents shall belong to Fundación CIDEAL.

**7. Deliverables**
1\) Inception Report: Work plan, proposed technical architecture, design and wireframes.
2\) Beta Version of the Platform: Fully functional draft version for review and testing.
3\) Final Operational Platform: Final validated version including multilingual content integration.
4\) Technical Documentation & Maintenance Plan: CMS manual and one-year support plan.

**8. Duration of the Consultancy**
The consultancy is expected to last approximately 4 months, covering the phases of platform design, development, testing and launch.

In addition, the selected company will provide 12 months of post-launch technical support, including maintenance, troubleshooting and minor updates to ensure the proper functioning and stability of the platform.