Executive Summary
The 2024-2025 Community Attitudes Survey (CAS) marks a milestone for Timor-Leste, offering its first national-level insights into how residents perceive tourism’s role in economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Conducted between November 2024 and June 2025, the survey achieved 527 responses, with 445 valid for analysis across six municipalities. This reflects an 84% response rate, underscoring strong public engagement.
Key Findings
- Tourism is seen as a driver of economic diversification and a solution for reducing oil dependency.
- Communities associate tourism with job creation, income generation, infrastructure improvements, and cultural preservation.
- Engagement is strong: more than 50% of respondents are either employed in tourism, have family in the sector, or regularly interact with visitors.
Concerns
- Persistent infrastructure gaps, especially in rural areas, limit growth.
- Government investment and leadership are widely seen as inadequate.
- Marketing and promotion remain weak, leaving Timor-Leste under-recognized internationally.
- Uneven representation in responses highlights the need for more inclusive outreach to rural municipalities.
Opportunities
- Community tourism offers pathways for local empowerment, youth involvement, and women’s participation.
- Tourism education and training can build future capacity and improve visitor experiences.
- Environmental stewardship is a strong community demand, aligning with sustainable tourism practices.
- With strategic investment, Timor-Leste can position itself as a distinctive, eco-cultural destination in Southeast Asia.
Conclusion
The CAS findings confirm widespread optimism about tourism’s potential while underlining systemic barriers that must be addressed. Coordinated investment in infrastructure, education, promotion, and community empowerment will be essential to unlocking Timor-Leste’s tourism potential and ensuring benefits are shared equitably across society.
