Pante Macassar, 21 May 2019 (Lusa)
The Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno (RAEOA) and the Malaysian company Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL) have signed an agreement to create a joint company that will bring significant improvements to the new Ambeno Hotel in the enclave.
The Agreement
The deal was signed by RAEOA President Mari Alkatiri and SSL Chairman Edward Ong at a ceremony on Monday in Pante Macassar.
“We will have a five-star hotel to welcome the people who arrive at our five-star international airport and want to visit our six-star bridge,” said Alkatiri. “This is a project for the success of Oé-Cusse and for the success of East Timor.”
The agreement creates a new local company, Oé-Cusse Sanctuary Lodges (OSL), in which:
- SSL will hold a large majority of the capital
- RAEOA will retain a golden share guaranteeing some control over the project’s execution
Upgrading the Ambeno Hotel
The agreement provides that OSL will bring improvements to the newly built Ambeno Hotel — currently not yet open to the public — upgrading it from four to five stars. Planned enhancements include:
- Additional guest beds
- Presidential suite
- Gymnasium and expanded facilities
- 50-year management contract ensuring Malaysian Five Star Hotel standards
The project follows the model of SSL’s award-winning portfolio, which includes Poring Hot Springs, Kinabalu Park, Manukan Island Resort, and Laban Rata.
SSL’s Track Record and the Pelican Paradise Project
SSL has been working with Timorese authorities for over a decade on the larger Pelican Paradise development in Dili — a project still awaiting a Special Investment Agreement.
“After eleven years of trying to start an operation in Dili, we have managed to reach this moment in just seven months, and we have built a relationship based on mutual trust and respect, which will allow us to overcome all the challenges,” said SSL CEO Edward Ong.
The Pelican Paradise project involves the development of a major tourist complex with:
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total investment | USD 700 million |
| Area | Approximately 558 hectares |
| Location | Between Tasi Tolu and Tibar, Dili |
| Construction jobs | ~1,500 |
| Permanent jobs | ~1,300 |
| Reforestation | 80% of the project area |
Planned facilities include hotel units, a golf course, residential lots, a youth development centre, an international school, an international hospital, and shopping centres.
Tourism and Economic Impact for Oecusse
RAEOA Secretary of Community Tourism Inacia Teixeira highlighted the broader significance of the partnership:
“It will allow us to present Oé-Cusse to the world as a tourist destination, attracting a wider public, nationally and internationally, with a high-quality offer spanning leisure, nature, and culture — as well as niche markets such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and business.”
Teixeira also noted that the project would expand the promoted territory to include religious, nautical, and adventure tourism in areas such as Oesilo, Nitibe, and Passabe.
Beyond hospitality, the investment is expected to:
- Mobilise further investors across agriculture, banking, transport, and telecommunications
- Create employment opportunities for young people
- Raise the quality of life of the Atoni people and Timorese people in general