Half of Western Australian emergency grants for tourism businesses go unspent

Almost half of the Western Australian Government’s $10.4 million emergency grants for the tourism industry have gone unspent as a result of the majority of businesses applying for the funding being ineligible.

Speaking in the state Parliament, Western Australian Tourism Minister Paul Papalia advised yesterday that 254 of the 1138 small businesses which applied for the Tourism Recovery Fund's $6500 handouts were successful with only half of the program’s funding being allocated.

The 884 successful applicants represent just 19% of the 4500 small businesses selling or providing a tourism-product, or just 3% of the Western Australia’s 28,766 tourism-related businesses, which included retail, cafes, restaurants, roadhouses, other hospitality businesses and taxi services.

Minister Papalia said grants from the Fund was only going to be available to the 1600 tourism operators who met the criteria of being a member of the Tourism Council WA or their regional tourism operator.

He advised “it is important to note those businesses which were not eligible for the Tourism Recovery Fund were able to apply for the $4 million Tourism Business Survival Grants, for businesses most severely impacted by COVID-19, including travel agents.”

Minister Papalia said the remaining funds would be “repurposed for further recovery-related tourism initiatives in the near future”.

Image: Perth's Elizabeth Quay.