Timorese planning their next holiday should consider exploring the natural beauty of their own nation rather than heading overseas to destinations such as Bali.
Liquisa’s Black Rock Restaurant, located at Caimeo Beach, has camping facilities ready to accommodate holidaymakers
Black Rock general manager Tyson Yeo said he started his business with a view to take advantage of – and maintain – Timor-Leste’s natural beauty.
“It’s something that’s a bit of fun because you’re camping on the beach but there’s no hassle because we erect the tents for you; we have nice bathrooms, lights, running water, generator back up, hot water,” he said.
“It takes all the hassle out of camping.”
The venture employs 30 Timorese people.
Yeo said while Timor-Leste had great potential as a tourist destination, the media and the Timor-Leste government needed to counteract negative perceptions by showing that the nation was peaceful and stable.
“I think a lot of people are misinformed about Timor,” he said.
“We had the crisis and a lot of the media – particularly the Australian media – came here and covered it.
“It portrayed Timor in a negative light – perhaps rightfully so; there were a lot of bad things happening at the time.
“But they never came back and said ‘it’s all okay now, we’ve had a few democratic votes and there hasn’t been another uprising, the UN’s left, the majority of the Australian military’s left’.”
He said it could be difficult for foreign investors to work with the Timorese government as official documents are frequently written in Portuguese, making translators necessary.
Black Rock employee Eshindo Edgat Langko said the restaurant and camp site made a positive impact on Liquisa by providing jobs for local youth.
As well as salaries of $170 per month, Black Rock also provides its employees with hospitality training as well as an opportunity to practice their foreign language skills.
“I am very happy because besides making money, we also learn more about European food and we understand more about the lives of foreigners,” Langko said.
“We don’t think negatively of them but realize we are actually all the same.”
