DILI, 26 july 2022 (TATOLI)– United State International Development Agency (USAID) ”Tourism For All Project”, and the Ministry of Trade and Tourism Industry (MTCI) and the Minister of Finance (MF) conducted the first consultation with the private sector in the management of ”Cristo Rei” a potential for religious tourism.
USAID Director, Zema Semunegus said USAID has conducted a feasibility study for the development of the Cristo Rei tourist site, therefore, today’s meeting aims to discuss with the private sector the issue of managing the Cristo Rei site.
“A feasibility study was carried out by USAID’s project ‘Tourism For All project’ for three months since 2021, to support the Government Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTCI) to introduce it for the Government and Private sector to be implemented. The feasibility study is focused on rehabilitation of basic infrastructure, recruitment of cleaners, security guards, and others,” Zema Semunegus told the media at the Minister of Finance, Ai-Tarak Laran, this Wednesday.
The Vice-Minister of Finance, Antonio Freitas said the government and USAID are partners to find out good management to develop Cristo Rei which is mostly considered a potential Religious site.
He added that Cristo Rei should be developed by the private sector and supported by Government, Development partners USAID, the World Bank, and others.
“Today we conducted the first consultation with the private sector to obtain information on how to develop a tourism site, especially in Cristo Rei, at one point we discussed tourism management by involving the national private sector. The private sector will be more needed to invest in this development project to be able to generate income to ensure sustainable income for all parties directly involved,” explained Freitas.
ATRTL President, Father Angelo Sansinha said Cristo Rei is a religious tourist site, therefore, people need to distinguish between religious and non-religious tourism sites to develop.
“We observe that there is a need to be distinguished between religious and non-religious tourist attractions. Religious tourism sites like Cristo Rei and other Holy Places are places that people use to worship, meditate, pray and communicate with God, therefore it requires establishing the rules, norms, and regulations to protect those places,” said Fr. Salsinha.
The discussions involved ten private sectors and are expected to attract more contractors to invest in this project. So far, the Government’s MTCI has approved USD 2.7 million for the management of Timor-Leste’s Tourism Sector, while USD 15 million has also been provided by USAID’Tourism for All Projects’ which includes the amount for the development of religious tourism.
The Cristo Rei of Dili statue is a 27.0-meter-high (88.6 feet) colossal statue of Jesus Crist Situated at the top of a globe at Cape Fatucama in Dili, East Timor. It is one of East Timor’s main tourist icons for attractions. The statue was designed, and its construction supervised, by Mochamad Syailillah, who is better known as “Bolil”. This 89-foot statue of Cristo Rei was constructed in 1996.
To reach the statue you must handle up 600 steps otherwise, you can look at a beautiful view after reaching the statue.
The Cristo Rei of Dili statue is a 27.0-meter-high (88.6 ft) colossal statue of Jesus Christ situated atop a globe at Cape Fatumaca in Dili, East Timor. It is one of East Timor’s main tourist attractions.
The idea of constructing the Cristo Rei statue was proposed by José Abilio Osório Soares, then the Governor of East Timor, to President Suharto. The statue was intended as a gift to East Timor for the 20th anniversary of its integration into Indonesia; the anniversary was due to take place on 17 July 1996.
The statue was designed, and its construction supervised, by Mochamad Syailillah, who is better known as “Bolil”. It was officially unveiled by President Suharto of Indonesia in 1996 as a gift from the Indonesian Government to the people of Timor-Leste, the then Indonesian province.
Journalist: José Belarmino de Sa
Editor: Nelia B.
