research
2014 Survey of Travelers to Timor-Leste (The Asia Foundation)
The Asia Foundation's first exit survey of travellers (2014), with 710 respondents at Dili airport, covering visitor profiles, trip purpose and spending.
38 resources
Resources & Documents
Policy documents, research papers, strategy reports, and practical guides for Timor-Leste.
research
13
research
2017 Survey of Travelers to Timor-Leste: Key Results
Two-page summary of The Asia Foundation's 2017 traveller survey: 36,975 leisure travellers spent US$24.6 million, with source markets and activities.
research
2020 Economic Impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs and Tourism
The Asia Foundation's 2021 study of 342 businesses on how COVID-19 hit Timor-Leste's micro, small and medium enterprises and tourism sector in 2020.
research
Australia/Timor-Leste Tourism Market Analysis (MDF, 2020)
MDF-commissioned 2020 study of Australian demand for Timor-Leste, sizing 1.61 million "Timor intenders" and setting a trade-focused marketing plan.
research
Baseline Supply and Demand Analysis with Consumer Perspective (2021)
World Bank report (August 2021) for the Government of Timor-Leste on tourism supply, demand, source markets and priority actions, in English and Tetum.
research
Marine Megafauna Surveys in Timor-Leste (2009)
2009 final report of the 2008 aerial and boat surveys that first documented Timor-Leste's whales and dolphins and their ecotourism potential.
research
Opportunities & Prospects for Growing Marine Tourism (2020)
Marine Tourism Association of Timor-Leste presentation at the 9th Dada Lia (27 February 2020) on marine ecotourism assets, threats and strategy.
research
Sustainable Tourism Futures Through Food, Place and People (2021)
2021 Journal of Sustainable Tourism paper (Berno, Rajalingam, Miranda, Ximenes) on Timorese food stories and culinary tourism.
research
COVID-19 and the Alignment of Aviation and Tourism Strategies (2020)
Paul Hooper's September 2020 report for The Asia Foundation on restoring air services after COVID-19 and aligning aviation with tourism policy.
research
The Potential for Cultural Tourism: Bobonaro, Ainaro & Lautem
ILO-supported field study by Fundasaun Alola and Timor Adventures on cultural-tourism potential in Bobonaro, Ainaro and Lautem (c. 2013).
research
Timor-Leste Tourism Barometer 2018
First Timor-Leste Tourism Barometer (July 2018) by The Asia Foundation and Destination Human Capital, analysing tourism supply, demand and partnerships.
research
Tourism Asset Mapping Report (ADB, 2021)
ADB consultancy report (December 2021) mapping tourism assets across Timor Island and proposing nine Indonesia–Timor-Leste cross-border itineraries.
research
Understanding Timor-Leste 2013 Conference Proceedings, Vol. II
Volume II of the Timor-Leste Studies Association's 2013 Dili conference proceedings (2014), with about 40 papers, two of them on tourism.
guides
11 guides
Ataúro Island: Sustainable Management Plan 2021–2025
USAID Tourism For All plan (Chemonics) for Atauro, 2021–2025, with conservation values, challenges and 24 objectives. In English and Tetum.
guides
Destination Plan Ataúro Island (Coral Triangle Tourism Project)
Coral Triangle nature-based tourism plan for Atauro (WWF, Australian Government funding), covering target markets, experience themes and priority actions.
guides
Kalkula Kustu: Costing Manual for Tourism Businesses (ILO, Tetum)
ILO Improve Your Business costing manual in Tetum, adapted for small tourism and hospitality businesses by the ILO BOSS project in Timor-Leste.
guides
Mount Ramelau (Tatamailau) Eco-Trail Sustainable Management Plan
USAID Tourism For All plan (Chemonics, 2022) for the Hatu-Builico to Mount Ramelau summit eco-trail, covering challenges and four management objectives.
guides
Options Description Report: Dili Port Redevelopment (2020)
USAID Tourism For All report (Chemonics, June 2020) comparing two options for redeveloping Dili Port as a tourism waterfront, with cost estimates.
guides
Taking Attractive Tourism Photographs Using Your Smartphone (Video)
Short training video from USAID's Tourism For All Project in which young Timorese tourism workers share seven smartphone photography tips.
guides
Telling Your Own Story as a Tourism Professional (Video)
Short training video from USAID's Tourism For All Project on using storytelling to share content and promote tourism businesses in Timor-Leste.
guides
Guidelines for Interacting with Cetaceans and Dugongs in Timor-Leste
Official code of conduct and SOPs for whale, dolphin and dugong watching in Timor-Leste (2026), with distances, time limits and swim rules.
guides
Tour Guiding Training Module (Tourism For All, 2022)
Slide-based training course for Timorese tour guides (February 2022), covering the tourism business, guiding skills, itineraries, packages and conduct.
guides
Tourism Product Development Methodology: A Guide for Practitioners
USAID Tourism For All guide (2023) to a three-phase method for building tourism products in Timor-Leste, with case studies from Atauro and Dili.
guides
Why Ecotourism for Ataúro (ATKOMA, 2017)
2017 paper by Avelino Pereira Fernandes for Ataúro Tourism (ATKOMA) on the island's tourism history and the case for community ecotourism.
policy
10 policy
2013 Development Partners' Meeting: Background Paper
Government background paper for the June 2013 Development Partners' Meeting in Dili on progress with the Strategic Development Plan, including tourism zones.
policy
Development of Tourism Policy and Strategic Planning in East Timor
University of Queensland Occasional Paper (2001) by Carter, Prideaux, Ximenes and Chatenay on East Timor's first tourism policy work, 1999–2001.
policy
National Strategic Plan for Tourism 2023–2030: MTCI Summary
Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Industry brochure (2023) summarising the National Strategic Plan for the Development of Tourism 2023–2030.
policy
Decree-Law 12/2019: Organic Law of the Ministry of Tourism (MTCI)
Jornal da República, Série I No. 23 B (14 June 2019), with the organic laws of four ministries, including Tourism, Commerce and Industry (Decree-Law 12/2019).
policy
Decree-Law 5/2016: National System of Protected Areas
Decree-Law No. 5/2016 of 16 March 2016 creates Timor-Leste's National System of Protected Areas and lists 46 protected areas in its annex.
policy
Strategic Tourism Marketing Plan for Timor-Leste (Indonesia), 2019
Marketing plan prepared for The Asia Foundation by Bali Discovery (September 2019) on growing Indonesian and Bali arrivals to Timor-Leste.
policy
Timor-Leste National Tourism Policies and Strategies (Presentation)
Undated country presentation by José Quintas, National Tourism Directorate, Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, on early tourism policy.
policy
National Tourism Policy: Growing Tourism to 2030 (2017)
Timor-Leste's National Tourism Policy, approved March 2017, with 2030 targets of 200,000 visitors, US$150m revenue and 15,000 jobs.
policy
Timor-Leste Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030
The government's 20-year national plan (2011). It names tourism as one of three strategic industries and sets Eastern, Central and Western tourist zones.
policy
ILO BOSS Project: Tourism Sector Intervention Report (2016)
ILO report (2016) on the BOSS project's tourism work in Timor-Leste, from district working groups and training to drafting the national tourism policy.
strategy
4 strategy
A Sustainable Tourism Mode for Timor-Leste (2011 Presentation)
2011 presentation by Mariana da Costa (General Directorate of Tourism) on ecotourism and community-based tourism, with Atauro and guesthouse case studies.
strategy
For Equality and the Economy: Gender in Tourism (UN Women, 2021)
UN Women Timor-Leste report (2021), in English and Tetum, on the gender dimensions of Timor-Leste's tourism sector, with recommendations.
strategy
Climate Change and Tourism in Timor-Leste: The Time to Act Is Now
USAID Tourism For All report (Chemonics, May 2021), in Tetum, on climate change and Timor-Leste's tourism, with Atauro and 2021 flood case studies.
strategy
Tourism Development Strategies for Timor-Leste (c. 2003)
Early post-independence blueprint (c. 2003) for Timor-Leste tourism, with a "Top Ten" priority-site list, sample itineraries and marketing steps.