Solimar to Assist Timor-Leste through new USAID Program

Solimar is proud to announce that we have won a bid from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop sustainable tourism in the island nation of Timor-Leste. The project titled “Turizma ba Ema Hotu”, translated to “Tourism for All”, will be implemented by Chemonics International in partnership with Solimar International and Planet Partnerships.

“This aid from the American people will help the government of Timor-Leste achieve one of its key development goals as it seeks to diversify its oil-based economy,” said USAID Mission Director Diana Putman. “We look forward to working with the Ministry of Tourism and the private sector to make Timor-Leste a tourist destination for those seeking adventure, culture and natural beauty while preserving the country’s unique environmental and cultural heritage.”

Timor-Leste is ripe for tourism with tropical waters, white sand beaches, mountain ranges and a unique and proud culture with a history of Portuguese and Indonesian colonization and liberation. The larger USAID program in collaboration with product development and marketing assistance from Solimar will provide a much-needed economic boost to the island nation and create an environment to welcome travelers to one of the most undiscovered yet beautiful countries in the world.

The “Turizma ba Ema Hotu” project is designed to help the Timorese government accomplish its long-term tourism goals by initially stimulating the tourism sector with the help of USAID and consulting services from Solimar and others. USAID estimates that the project should provide $25 million in eco- and community-based tourism investment, create an additional 1,000 tourism related jobs, and raise household incomes in communities where the project is active by 15% over its duration. Solimar’s work in Timor-leste is part of a broader plan by USAID to bring sustainable economic stimulation to a nation long plagued by colonialism and underdevelopment and help it become an active economic participant in the South Asia region.

Click here to access the official press release from USAID: https://www.usaid.gov/timor-leste/press-releases/jan-28-2018-usaidtimor-leste-signs-agreement-help-timor-leste