DILI, October 12, 2021 – The United States congratulates Timor-Leste for launching the Faith-based Tourism Association (Asosiasaun Turizmu Relijiozu Timor-Leste — ATRTL) at Dili Cathedral on the anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to the country in 1989.
The launch ceremony follows many years of collaboration by religious leaders with U.S. support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the USAID Tourism For All Project to establish faith-based tourism in Timor-Leste. U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Tom Daley and Acting USAID Mission Director Harold Carey joined senior Timor-Leste government officials, the Archbishop of Dili Dom. Virgílio do Carmo da Silva, and the Vatican’s representative in Timor-Leste, Monsignor Marco Sprizzi, at the launch ceremony.
“Faith-based tourism presents a tremendous economic opportunity for Timor-Leste, with a significant number of tourists from neighboring countries within close reach. It also helps to advance human rights and respect for differences. Building on our respect for religious freedom and diversity, the U.S. Mission to Timor-Leste hopes that the Association will spur job creation for young people, bring prosperity to communities nationwide, and help Timor-Leste diversify its economy.”
— Tom Daley, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires
A Growing Global Market
Official registration in July 2021 opened the way for the association to receive a $110,000 grant from the Government of Timor-Leste to support operations as it strives to capture a portion of the global religious tourism market. Key figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Estimated global religious tourism market | $18 billion |
| Tourists visiting religious sites annually | Up to 330 million |
USAID’s Tourism For All project brought diverse groups of faith leaders together in 2018 to form a working group exploring the potential for faith-based tourism. The working group subsequently organised an international tourism conference under the theme “Peace, Harmony and Fellowship: Faith-based Tourism Development.”
Upcoming Priorities for ATRTL
- National survey of faith-based tourism attractions
- Hospitality and tour guide training for young people
- Annual interfaith festival
- Creation of a peace garden
Building the Association
ATRTL President Father Angelo Salsinha expressed his appreciation for the support received:
“I would like to thank God for giving power to the team comprising USAID’s Tourism for All Project, the Government of Timor-Leste, and the Faith-based Tourism Association, for their willingness, unity, and commitment to work together to get the association registered legally. I would especially like to thank USAID’s Tourism For All for accompanying us in the whole process. I believe that with the experience gained, we will work more professionally to ensure our association’s sustainability and future well-being.”
As one of Timor-Leste’s senior Catholic clergymen, Father Salsinha wants to ensure that respect for religion remains a key priority as ATRTL develops its strategic plan — a position shared by leaders of all faiths represented in the association.
Community Engagement and Funding Allocation
One of the association’s core challenges is raising awareness and fostering community engagement at sites of significance to the faith-based tourism market. ATRTL plans to allocate its government grant as follows:
| Allocation | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 50% | Training community leaders and young people to receive faith-based tourists respectfully |
| Remaining funds | Hospitality training and tour development to extend economic benefits across communities |
ATRTL will work through its different faith networks to develop a marketing strategy targeting regional visitors and promoting domestic faith-based tourism throughout Timor-Leste.