By Charlene Gatt
A YARRAVILLE man has set up a motorcycling tourism company to lure holidaymakers to East Timor.
Dave Carlos will run tours in September and October in a bid to turn the island into a tourist destination.
The idea for Timor Adventures began last year after Mr Carlos and a friend took a three-week expedition around Timor Leste.
“It’s an hour away from Australia and it’s a completely different world – as yet it is pretty much unharmed by over-development,” he said.
“I’m very keen to see Timor prosper and am also very interested in community development. Tourism will play an important part in the development of the country.”
The tours will travel through Timor Leste’s villages and mountain passes by motorbike, plus get involved in community development projects like coffee and silk farms.
Mr Carlos, his wife Shirley and two daughters are working with East Timorese tour company, Eco Discovery, to set the business up.
The Carlos family will road test the tour in July before taking two groups of six later in the year.
“It’s a learning curve for us,” Mr Carlos said.
“Our dream is to create a business which employs local guides and generates income for local families who run guest houses and homestay-style accommodation.
“We hope our travellers will connect with the country and develop an ongoing interest in its future.”
