USAID’S Tourism for all

Abstract

FY2020 was anything but normal. With the outbreak of the global COVID-19 pandemic mid-year, international tourism demand has come to a virtual halt and it is anyone’s guess as to when and if things will return to normal. USAID’s Tourism For All Project reacted quickly to the crisis by drafting a Timor-Leste Tourism Recovery Initiative that among other things recommended a pivot to stimulating domestic tourism demand to help ride out the COVID-19 storm. This resulted in the launch of the Ha’u-Nia Timor-Leste domestic tourism campaign which has gained significant traction and helped businesses generate a stream of income to sustain their operations and jobs. There was a myriad of other notable achievements that have supported desired project results and activities scripted under Objectives 1 and 2 leading USAID to award the first of two option years to the project. The project has established a superlative network within the Timor-Leste tourism industry across the public and private sector as well as civil society. Through these interchanges, the project has gained an extraordinary understanding of Timor-Leste’s socio-economic dynamics, particularly as they relate to tourism. This strong foundation will serve the project well throughout the remaining years of implementation and help cement a positive future for the growth of the service sector in Timor-Leste. The project is organized around the vision and objectives of the Timor-Leste National Tourism Policy Growing Tourism to 2030-Enhancing a National Identity that was ratified by the Council of Ministers in 2017. It posits five overarching themes (Priority, Prosperity, Protection, Partnership and People) through which government, industry, civil society, academia, and development partners should view tourism and focus their efforts in order to achieve the goal of tourism sector success and sustainability for the country. Building on the framework established through the National Tourism Policy, USAID’s Tourism For All project is helping promote Timor-Leste’s competitiveness as an international tourism destination while preserving its unique environmental and cultural heritage. It is expected that project activities will augment Timor-Leste’s efforts to boost tourist arrivals to 200,000 annually by 2030, increase employment in tourism to 15,000 jobs and generate US$150 million in annual tourism revenue. Ultimately, the project should be able to validate the theory of change, which states: “If institutions, policies, and laws are in place to implement the National Tourism Policy, then Timor-Leste will bolster the confidence of the private sector and improve Timor-Leste’s ability to attract the investment necessary to develop its tourism industry. If local communities are engaged to develop their tourism offerings, replicable and sustainable tourism development models may be introduced that promote Timor-Leste’s cultural and natural heritage. By creating socially inclusive partnerships that offer a “win-win” for public, private, and community stakeholders, then participation in Timor-Leste’s tourism sector will expand and increase income for a broad range of Timorese”. In so doing, the project supports the Mission’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy goal of facilitating a more prosperous, healthy and democratic Timor-Leste. In PY3, the project set out to provide institutional support to help bolster tourism development and facilitate realization of the National Tourism Policy by facilitating the development of strategies and action plans at the national and municipal levels. In addition, the project worked alongside key government agencies to improve their capacity to better perform their duties in the nurturing sector growth. In addition, in collaboration with Secretary of State for Arts and Culture (SEAC) the project successfully submitted the application for Tais recognition by UNESCO for its intangible cultural heritage value. In partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and leading NGOs such as Conservation International, the project crafted a Sustainable Management Plan for Ataúro Island and Cristo Rei that will help conserve and preserve the natural beauty of these valuable tourism assets. The project has also been requested by MAF and MTCI to produce a Sustainable Management Plan for the trail leading up to the top of Mt. Ramelau. In addition, the project collaborated with the USAID’S Tourism For All Project – Annual Report FY 2020 8 Assosiasaun Turizmu Maritima Iha Timor-Leste (ATM-TL) to gain Mission Blue’s Hope Spot recognition for Timor-Leste's Ombai-Wetar Strait. In support of Objective 2 of the project, sustainable tourism investments have been promoted within the geographic focus areas of the Mt. Ramelau Area, Ataúro Island and Dili Capital. Sustainable tourism development strategies and action plans have been completed for Hatobuilico and Ataúro. The project has also encouraged development of several niche tourism segments, such as faith-based tourism and marine tourism through the establishment of working groups and associations. The handicraft and coffee sectors have also gained support through the Tourism Enterprise Development Program (grants). 36 potential public private partnerships have been identified and two are in advanced stages of development, namely Cristo Rei and Dili Port. The project also delivered over 11,000 training hours to a variety of beneficiaries in geographic focus areas in select hospitality subjects during PY3. The project’s greatest asset is its talented group of Timorese professionals who are central to its continued successful implementation. They are enthusiastic and passionate to help grow tourism in their country and make a difference to their fellow countrypersons. The project has an agile and focused organizational structure that conveniently reflects the key themes of the National Tourism Policy (Priority, Prosperity, Protection, Partnership and People). These elements of the project will continue to serve well in delivering the highest quality of results to Timor-Leste on behalf of USAID