When Marquelina and Dioneiya joined APAC Tourism, they brought with them very different experiences. Marquelina had recently graduated from the National University of Timor-Leste with a degree in midwifery while Dioneiya had just completed her studies in International Relations.
Neither imagined they would begin their careers in tourism and customer service.
Today, both work as reservation agents at APAC Tourism, Timor-Leste’s first call centre serving Australian tourism and hospitality businesses. From Dili, they handle accommodation bookings, customer enquiries, and reservation services, connecting travellers with destinations hundreds of kilometres away.
As part of their professional development, MDF supported Marquelina and Dioneiya to travel to Australia and experience firsthand some of the destinations and tourism businesses served by APAC Tourism. In May, Dioneiya visited K’gari, Queensland, while Marquelina travelled to Kakadu National Park and surrounding tourism businesses in the Northern Territory in July.
The visits allowed them to learn directly from tourism operators, better understand the customer experience, and exchange ideas with industry professionals.
For Marquelina, the transition in the beginning was not easy. The booking systems and technology were entirely new to her.
“It was really hard for me at first when I started with APAC Tourism. But I got used to it because I had a very supportive team. We all love to learn, including me, because life never stops teaching us”. Said Marquelina.
Drawing on the communication skills she developed during her midwifery studies, Marquelina discovered that building trust, listening to people and helping solve problems are valuable in any profession.
In July, she travelled to Australia’s Northern Territory, where she visited tourism businesses including Cooinda Lodge. Meeting colleagues from different cultures and backgrounds reinforced an important lesson: people may come from different places, but they often share the same desire to learn, grow, and succeed.
Dioneiya: A transformational visit
For Dioneiya, a visit to K’gari, Queensland, offered a different perspective. She was inspired by how local communities welcomed visitors, shared their culture through storytelling and cared for their natural environment.
“For me it was a great opportunity to learn alongside professionals. We shared ideas about our cultures. We may be from different countries, but we have the same energy to learn and grow.”
The experience also sparked ideas about how tourism could create more opportunities in Timor-Leste. Having gained firsthand experience in reservations, accommodation bookings, and customer service through APAC Tourism, Dioneiya now sees opportunities to strengthen connections between local businesses and communities.
She believes many guest houses across Timor-Leste already provide a foundation for tourism growth, but more can be done to connect visitors with authentic local experiences.
“We have so many guest houses established across Timor-Leste, especially in the municipalities, but often people only go there to sleep and relax. What is lacking are experiences that connect visitors with local areas. We need more tour guide services and activities that help visitors learn about our culture, communities and environment.” Said Dioneiya.
Inspired by what she observed in K’gari, Dioneiya hopes tourism in Timor-Leste can create benefits beyond accommodation by encouraging community-based experiences, cultural storytelling, and local entrepreneurship.
“The local communities in K’Gari love their culture and keep their environment clean. I hope we can do the same in Timor-Leste. We also have mountains, beaches and culture as our strength, and I hope tourism can help benefit our communities”, said Dioneiya.
Both women see tourism as more than an industry.
For them, it is a pathway for young Timorese to develop skills, build careers, and contribute to their communities. “Even though call centre operations that help tourists enjoy a full experience are still new in Timor-Leste, they give youth and young people opportunities for jobs that can ensure better livelihoods,” said Marqueline.
This International Youth Day, Marquelina and Dioneiya encourage young people to remain curious, keep learning, and embrace opportunities that may lie outside their fields of study. New industries are emerging in Timor-Leste, creating pathways for young people to gain skills, build careers, and contribute to the country’s future.
Different contexts may shape our journeys, but common aspirations can drive us all forward.
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This story is part of MDF Timor-Leste’s International Youth Day campaign, celebrating the journeys of four young Timorese whose paths began in different communities but are united by shared aspirations for the future.
From animal health students in Baucau and Ermera, to emerging coffee sector leaders in Aileu and Liquiça, and young professionals supporting Timor-Leste’s growing tourism sector through call centre services, these young people are turning ambition into action.
Through learning, innovation, and hard work, they are building skills, contributing to their communities, and shaping their own economic futures.