Come diving in Timor Leste - The Amazon of the Seas

The press release below states what we've always known here - Timor Leste has some of the world's best diving. It also has two excellent dive centres:
Dive Timor Lorosae (http://www.divetimor.com/)
and FreeFlow (http://www.freeflowdiving.com)/
Come over and see for yourself - this is the best time of year for it!

---000---

Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Endorsed by APEC Summit
21 world leaders endorse proposal for new effort to safeguard the rich
marine resources of the Indo-Pacific region

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — September 10, 2007 — At yesterday's Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, 21 world leaders endorsed a new
proposal to safeguard the rich marine resources of the Indo-Pacific
region for future generations. The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on
Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security aims to bring together six
governments in a multilateral partnership to conserve the
extraordinary marine life in the region. The proposal was endorsed in
the Sydney APEC Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy
Security and Clean Development. U.S. President George W. Bush welcomed
this Initiative during the Summit.

The Coral Triangle (CT) covers all or parts of the exclusive economic
zones of Indonesia (Central and Eastern), East Timor, the Philippines,
Malaysia (part of Borneo), Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Defined by areas containing 500 or more species of coral, the Coral
Triangle, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of the Seas", is the
epicenter of marine life abundance and diversity on the planet. It has
more than 600 coral species in some areas (more than 75% of all known
coral species), 53% of the world's coral reefs, 3,000 fish species,
and the greatest extent of mangrove forests of any region in the world.

According to scientists, these marine biological resources are at
risk, threatened by a range of factors, such as over-fishing,
destructive fishing practices, pollution and climate change. This new
initiative would address these threats and ensure long-term benefits
from the marine biological resources of the region.

Rebecca Patton, Chief Conservation Strategies Officer with The Nature
Conservancy, and WWF US's Chief Conservation Officer, Ginette Hemley,
praised the endorsement of this new initiative. "The Coral Triangle
Initiative is an incredible step forward for conservation. The
protection of these coral reefs and the life they support will help
our planet cope with a changing climate and ensure the livelihoods for
well over 100 million people," noted Patton. "The initiative shown by
the APEC economies is to be applauded," Hemley added.

The biological resources of the Coral Triangle directly sustain the
lives of over 120 million people living within this area, and benefit
millions more worldwide. Primary human benefits include:

* Livelihoods, income, and food security -- particularly for
populations living along coastlines within the region
* Total annual value of coral reefs, mangroves & associated
natural habitats within the CT are estimated at US $2.3 billion
* Tuna spawning & nursery grounds support a multi-billion tuna
industry, and provide for millions of consumers worldwide
* Healthy marine resources contribute to a growing nature-based
tourism industry in the region
* Healthy reefs systems and mangroves protect coastal communities
from storms and tsunamis, reducing future reconstruction costs and the
need for international aid


Possible linkages between the CTI and climate change were highlighted
during the APEC Summit. As part of a comprehensive approach to
climate change, the future impacts of climate change on our marine and
coastal natural resources must be addressed in addition to significant
reductions in emissions. Adaptation actions that can help to protect
and sustain these resources, such as creating networks of marine
reserves that are effectively designed for resilience to climate
change, would be a central element of the CTI and essential to the
human communities who depend on these resources.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working
around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters
for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one
million members have been responsible for the protection of more than
15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more
than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the
Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

About World Wildlife Fund
Known in the United States as World Wildlife Fund and recognized
worldwide by its panda logo, WWF leads international efforts to
protect endangered species and their habitats and to conserve the
diversity of life on Earth. Now in its fifth decade, WWF, the global
conservation organization, works in more than 100 countries around the
world.

Another trade show! This time, Nanchang, China

Greetings from the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Beijing, China

After our successful participation at Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE 2007) in June 21 – 23, 2007 in promoting Timor-Leste and its tourism sector, the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Beijing, China will be participating in China (Nanchang) International Eco-tourism Exhibition and Award Tourism Conference, which will be held from 21 – 23 October 2007. The event’s primary focus is on eco-tourism.

For the event, we are going to produce a booklet containing information from tourism operators from Timor-Leste and their packages on offer.

We are at the final stage of compiling the necessary information and we will commence printing the booklet soon, which will be widely distributed, during the event, to the participating travel agents and potential Chinese visitors to Timor-Leste.

Should you have tourism packages on offer that you wish to be included in the brochure, please send us the necessary information about your company and the packages on offer via e-mail ASAP.

Thank you,

Tony Duarte
Project Coordinator
Embassy of Timor-Leste in Beijing156 Gold Island Diplomatic CompoundNo. 1 Xibahe Nanlu, Beijing 100028People's Republic of ChinaTel: + 86 10 6440 3072/3079Fax: + 86 10 6440 3071Websites: www.timor-leste.gov.tl

Timor Leste at PATA Bali

This year's Pacific and Asia Travel Association Travel Mart is handily taking place in Bali this year, so we are sending a solid delegation to the show - including the new Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Mr Gil Alves - to promote our fledgling tourism industry.
We have received requests from 40 different companies (buyers) from all over the world to meet Timor Leste's representatives, which is very encouraging. We will also be requesting appointments with a number of other companies specialising in our kind of tourism - ie adventure travel, nature, diving, cultural, etc. We have also requested a meeting with the Bali Tourism Association so that we can discuss bilateral relations and cross-marketing.

I will post the full list of the companies that we will meet as soon as it is confirmed, in case any members want to contact companies directly with details of what they have to offer. ATTL will represent those tourism operators who are not attending the show. Please email me with any specific requests you may have. We will be needing 300-500 copies of companies' brochures to hand out in our "goody bag", which will contain the CD Rom and the general Turismo Timor Leste brochures. Please drop off what you have either at FreeFlow, Hotel Dili or the Directorate of Tourism in Fomento building. If any ATTL members need help with making up their brochures, email me and I will assist as best I can.
Best regards
ATTL Veep


From the Directorate of Tourism

PATA Travel Mart 2007, September 25-28, Bali, Indonesia
Buyer Advance Guide as at July 13, 2007 and Seller Appointment Requests

PATA Greetings!

We are writing to you today with an update on our PTM2007, September 25-28, at Bali International Convention Centre, Bali, Indonesia.

Buyers: As of July 13, 2007, PATA has received a total of 416 registered buyer delegates from 347 buyer organisations, from 51 countries. This represents an increase of 12% buyer registrations at the same time last year for PTM2006. (For your information, this time last year we had received only 370 buyer registrations).

We are pleased that all our 349 registered primary Buyers have agreed to undertake an independent set of business calendar to meet, network, negotiate and contract with our PTM2007 Sellers.

After feedback and requests from our Sellers, efforts will be made to visibly distinguish the region source and business profile of all our buyer delegates on-site during the mart with colourful ribbons tagged to their delegate badges.

Further, we have endeavoured to visibly identify "first time PTM buyers" in the Buyer Advance Guide sent to you.

Sellers: This year's Mart sees a total net floor area of 4,294 square metres occupied by Sellers at the BICC. Macau SAR and the Pacific islands are coming back to the Mart with even bigger representations this year. And India is maintaining the biggest country pavilion, standing huge at 162 square metres.


Tourism Timor-Leste in PATA Travel Mart Bali.25-28 September 2007

This year Tourism Timor Leste will attend at PATA Expo ( Seller ) and Board of Director Meeting.

Timor Leste’s Delegations . Government and Private Sectors.
1. Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Mr. Gil Alves
2. Director Of Tourism and Chef of Policy ( Board of Director Meeting )
3. From the Tourism Directorate will be send two staff of Promotion Division
4. From the Private Sector. There are six Participants : Eco Discovery ( Ms.Maria Noronha), Timor Mega Tour ( Mr. Eduardo Masa), Dive Lorosa Sae (Mr.Marck ) ATTL ( Ms. Ann Turner, Mr.Vicente Mau Bosi, Mr.Gino Favaro).


Area: The total area of Timor Leste’s stand is 18 sq.m at the Nusantara Room at Bali International Convention Centre,Nusa Dua Bali,Indonesia.

The Purpose of our participations are: To promote Tourism Timor Leste and Looking for cooperation opportunities and to recover post conflict.

Location PATA Travel Mart 2007

Please visit www.pata.org

For the Programs Please visit www.PATA.org/smart

TimorLeste activities at Bali.


• Based on PATA program schedules
• Round table media briefing on 27 September 2007. Time: 13.00-1345.handled by Director and ATTL Mrs.Ann Turner
• ATTL Meeting and Bali Tourism Association on 28 September time: 15.00-16.00 pm.