International, MNA | The manager of the BTL - Lisbon Tourism Fair expects this year's edition of the sector's main fair to be "one of the best ever", with the
East Timor (Timor Leste) gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a violent struggle, which led to the cutting of Timor Island into two distinctive parts: Timor Barat (West Timor) with Kupang
East Timor (Timor Leste) gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a violent struggle, which led to the cutting of Timor Island into two distinctive parts: Timor Barat (West Timor) with Kupang as its capital is still today part of Indonesia, while East Timor became Southeast Asia’s newest state. However, almost a decade after achieving independence, tourism remains in its infancy in this country populated with a million inhabitants, as many tourists still continue to ignore its existence. Many factors explain Timor Leste’s struggle to reach a wider audience. Its first years of independence were marked with sporadic but brutal violence, which tarnished the image of the country. Stability exists now, however, the country’s external image still remains negative in some ways.