Introduction to ATKOMA: Assisting Ataúro in Challenging Times

2021 has been a challenging year. After months of closed borders preventing any international travel into Timor-Leste, a dual crisis arrived at the borders instead: as community transmission of COVID-19 began for the first time, Tropical Cyclone Seroja brought one of the most devastating flash floods in recent memory, sweeping across Timor-Leste and parts of Eastern Indonesia, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. After several months of lockdown and hardship, activity is beginning again: the holiday has brought an increased number of visitors to Ataúro Island, and movement throughout the country is happening again at last. As travel opens up again, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce past and present visitors to Ataúro to the organization guiding its tourism development, and highlight some of our accomplishments despite the challenging year.

The Asosiasaun Turizmu Koleku Mahanak Ataúro, also known as ATKOMA, is a group of tourism advocates which have been working together since 2000 to pursue a common vision for developing low-impact tourism in Timor-Leste. This group of dedicated tourism champions, composed of local tourism providers and community representatives, is not only advocating for the interests of the tourism industry and future visitors, but is also committed to ensuring economic support to the people of Ataúro and minimizing negative environmental and socio-cultural impacts.

Currently, ATKOMA’s main activities include destination marketing, tourism training and mentoring, research, planning, development and advocacy. Even though 2020 was a relatively challenging year, ATKOMA managed to succeeded in accomplishing the following:

• Updated and launched a new website, ataurotourism.org
• Created 8 new Day Tours highlighting the best aspects of the island
• Created 6 new multi-day Island Itineraries for travelers to explore the entire island
• Recruited 13 private tourism operators as members into the organization
• Established a Visitor Voluntary Contribution Fee, in which travelers pay an optional fee towards supporting ATKOMA when they check out of their island accommodation
• Revitalized social media efforts, engaging more than 10,000 people in promotional activities
• Received over 200 entries to our Adventures in Ataúro Social Media Contest
• Designed new booklets and brochures
• Created a mobile tour desk

Additionally, with the continued support of the USAID Tourism for All Project, ATKOMA has begun training new tour guides on a commission-based model, motivating talented individuals on Ataúro to sell and guide tours for future guests.

As a visitor to Ataúro, you can support our efforts to develop community-based tourism in a sustainable, inclusive, and empowering way by booking a day tour or trek with ATKOMA, or ensuring that you contribute to the Ataúro Visitor Contribution Fee by paying $2 at the end of your stay to directly support the organization. All of this funding goes directly into improving tours and training our tour guides to ensure that tourism is equitably distributed across the island and that all future visitors have an amazing time. We are extremely grateful to Compass Diving and Atauro Dive Resort for supporting this contribution fee.

As Mario Gomes, president of ATKOMA  said – “2020 was a challenging year for everyone, and the thriving destination and businesses of Ataúro Island have been forced to adapt to incredibly challenging circumstances. Despite these challenges, ATKOMA forged ahead: recruiting local coordinators, revamping our website, creating brand collateral, training local guides, and more.” The team is prepared for anything that 2021 brings. 

Ataúro has so much to offer with its magical tropical waters, white sandy beaches, and sacred mountain ranges – it is the perfect destination to explore and enjoy. Maybe try out water-based activities like snorkeling or discover the stunning island by hiking? We are also extremely culture-rich and offer unforgettable custom day-tours and relaxing getaways.  A weekend away at Ataúro will be a dream come true–get ready for our beautiful island and just enjoy your time here! 

If you are interested in learning more about ATKOMA’s activities over the past year, you can read our annual and mid-year reports in our Member Portal here.

INTRODUSAU  ATKOMA NIAN: APOIA ATAÚRO IHA TEMPU SIRA DIFÍSIL

2021 tinan ida nebe dezafia tebes. Depois de taka tiha fronteira durante fulan barak, nebe prevene kualker viajem internasional ruma mai Timor-Leste, maka iha krize rua mak to’o kedas iha fronteira sira: transmissaun komunitária COVID-19 hahu ba dahuluk, no iha memoria resente Siklone Tropiku Seroja lori kedas inundasaun nebe estraga, dasa tomak Timor-Leste no parte balun oeste Indonesia nian, hamate ema atus ba atus no desloka ema rihun ba rihun. Depois de konfinamentu fulan barak no difisil, aktividade sira hahu fila fali: feriadu sira lori ema vizita Ilha Ataúro komesa sa’e no movimentu sira iha nasaun laran finalmente komesa fali ona. Bainhira viajem sira loke fali ona, ami hakarak hodi oportunidade ida ne’e atu introduz visitante sira ba Ataúro uluk no agora ba  organizasaun ida nebe guia dezenvovimentu turizmu no destaka ita nian atinjimentu sira apezar de tinan ida difísil.

Asosiasaun Turizmu Koleku Mahanak Ataúro, koñesidu ho naran ATKOMA, mak grupu advogadu turizmu nian ne’ebe mak servisu hamutuk ona desde tinan 2000 atu buka vizaun komum ida atu dezenvolve  turizmu Timor-Leste nian nebe iha impaktu ki’ik. Grupu dedikadu husi kampeaun turizmu nian kompostu husi provedor turizmu local no reprezentante komunidade sira, laos deit atu sai advogadu ba interesse industria turizmu nian no futuru vizitante sira maibe iha kompromisu atu assegura apoio ekonomiku ba povu Ataúro no minimiza impaktu negativu ambiental no sosiu-kultural.

Mapa Ilha Ataúro, ne’ebe dezenvolve liuhusi kolaborasaun no konsultasaun extensivu husi ATKOMA

Dadauk ne’e, ATKOMA ninia aktividade principal inklui marketing ba destinasaun, treinamentu turizmu no mentoria, peskiza, planeamentu, dezenvolvimentu no advokasia. Mesmu ke 2020 tinan ida nebe dezafia tebes, maibe ATKOMA konsege atinji susesu sira tuir mai ne’e:

• Aktualiza no lansa website foun, ataurotourism.org
• Kria passeiu (tour) loron nian 8 foun nebe destaka aspetu sira diak liu Ataúro nian
• Kria itinerariu 6 foun ba loron barak nian ba viajante sira atau eksplora Ataúro tomak
• Rekruta operador turizmu privadu 13 nu’udar membru organizasaun
• Estabelese Taxa Kontribuisaun Voluntária husi Bainaka, nebe viajante sira selu opsaun taxa atu apoia ATKOMA bainhira sira sai (check out) husi sira nian akomodasaun iha Ataúro
• Revitaliza esforsu sira media social nian, involve ema liu 10,000 iha aktividade promosaun nian
• Simu aplikasaun liu 200 iha ami nian Aventura sira iha Konkursu Media Sosial Ataúro nian
• Dezeña Livrete no brochura foun
• Kria meja/balkaun móvel tour nian

Além de ida ne’e, ho apoio kontínua husi USAID’s Tourism for All Project, ATKOMA komesa ona treinamentu ba guias turístikas foun sira ho modelu baze husi komisaun, atu motiva talentu ema Ataúro atu fa’an no guia tour sira ba bainaka sira iha futuru.

Nu’udar vizitante ida ba Ataúro, ita bo’ot bele apoia ami nian esforsu sira atu dezenvolve turizmu baze komunitária iha forma sustentável, inkluzivu no empoderadora, ita bo’ot bele rezerva passeiu loron nian (tour) ida ka halo kamiñada (trek) ida ho ATKOMA, ka atu assegura katak ita bo’ot kontribui Taxa Kontribuisaun Vizitante Ataúro nian hodi selu $2 iha ita bo’ot ninia fim da estadia, nebe diretamente apoia organizasaun. Fundu sira ne’e hotu sei diretamente hadiak passeiu sira no ba treinamentu ami nian guias turistiku sira atu assegura katak turizmu distribuí ho equitativa Ataúro tomak atu nune’e futuru vizitante sira iha tempu inkrível. Ami extremamente agradese ba Compass Diving no Atauro Dive Resort nebe apoia ona taxa kontribuisaun ne’e.

Hanesan Mario Gomes, presidente ATKOMA nian dehan – “Tinan 2020 tinan ida dezafia tebes ema hotu, destinasaun nebe foin dezenvolve, no negosiu sira iha Illa Ataúro, no obriga sira atu adapta ba sirkumstansia nebe dezafia tebes. Maski ho situasaun hanesan ne’e, ATKOMA konitnua lao ba oin: rekruta koordenador local sira, reformula ita nian website, kria garantia ba marka, treina guia lokal, no barak tan.” Ekipa ne’e preparadu ba saida deit mak mosu iha tinan 2021.

Ataúro iha buat barak atu oferese ho ninia tasi tropiku majiku sira, tasi-ibun ho raihanek mutin no foho sira – mak destinasaun perfeitu atu eksplora no desfruta. Karik bele koko aktividade sira kona-ba tasi hanesan nani (snorkeling) ka deskobre Ataúro ninia furak hodi sa’e foho? Ami mos extremamente riku iha kultura no oferese passeiu loron nian personalizadu nebe sei lahaluha no halao relaksasaun. Passa fim da semana iha Ataúro mak mehi ida sai realidade–prepara an ba iha ami nia illa furak no goza ita bo’ot ninia tempu.