The Australia/Timor-Leste Tourism Market Analysis – Summary of Findings & Marketing Action Plan (13 October 2020) was prepared by the consultancy ZOIK Pty Ltd for the Market Development Facility (MDF). MDF is an Australian Government-funded programme implemented by Palladium with Swisscontact. The study covers consumer and travel-trade research on Australia, Timor-Leste’s largest source market. It identifies the most likely visitors and turns the findings into a marketing plan timed for the COVID-19 period and the reopening after it.
Key findings
- Market size: An estimated 1.61 million Australians are “Timor intenders”, about 6.4% of the population. The segment combines the Crusaders and Independents geoTribes profiles, matched to a February 2020 survey. Melbourne and Victoria account for about 622,500 of them.
- Media habits: Intenders are heavy internet users (91% on Facebook, 65% on Instagram) and less reachable through mass media. Social content should “excite, educate and engage”.
- Prospective visitor survey (n = 507, February 2020): 13% wanted to visit unprompted and 36% when prompted. 65% saw Timor-Leste as naturally beautiful, while 13% thought it unsafe because “war” and “unrest” are top of mind.
- Current Australian visitors (from The Asia Foundation’s 2017–2018 airport interviews): Darwin supplies one in four Australian holidaymakers. Darwin visitors favour the beach and Melbourne visitors cultural experiences. 97% of divers would recommend the destination.
- Travel trade interviews (March–August 2020): Agents who had sold Timor-Leste reported very positive client feedback. Those who had not sold it mostly lacked product knowledge. Barriers were the lack of information and marketing tools, booking and payment logistics, flight cost, and poor roads and local transport.
- Selling points named by the trade: diverse scenery, pristine marine life and diving, an uncommercialised “off the beaten track” destination, culture, history and adventure.
- Marketing Action Plan: For October 2020 to September 2021: a COVID-safe statement, an Australian section on the national tourism website, a social content plan, a “Trade Ready” programme for local suppliers and a trade portal. For October 2021 to March 2022: trade and media familiarisation trips, bookable holidays and trade events in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Document details
- Publisher: Market Development Facility (Australian Government; implemented by Palladium with Swisscontact)
- Prepared by: ZOIK Pty Ltd
- Date: 13 October 2020
- Language: English
- Pages: 9 (summary document; detailed reports referenced separately)
- Download: Summary PDF (timorleste.tl), summary on MDF website
Further reading
- Strategic Tourism Marketing Plan for Timor-Leste (Indonesia), 2019
- Baseline Supply and Demand Analysis with Consumer Perspective (2021)