Tourism Recovery package to inject $250 million into regional Australia

The Federal Government today announced its tourism recovery package that will inject $250 million into regional Australia, encouraging more Australians to travel and experience a domestic holiday while aiming to boost regional jobs and local economies.

The package includes two measures - a $50 million Regional Tourism Recovery initiative to assist businesses in regions heavily reliant on international tourism and $200 million for an additional round of the Building Better Regions Fund.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the package would deliver targeted support for regional tourism advising “by investing $200 million in an additional round of the Building Better Regions Fund we are investing $200 million in securing regional Australia’s future.

“This Budget will set aside $200 million for projects to boost local infrastructure in regional communities, $100 million of which will be dedicated to tourism-related infrastructure.

“We know every dollar spent on building local communities is a dollar well spent and that is at the heart of our economic plan for a more secure and resilient Australia.”

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said tourism regions had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and this would help them to bounce back firstly by attracting more Australians and then overseas visitors when our international borders re-open.

Minister Birmingham noted “tourism is such an important job creator and driver of many regional economies. We want to make sure that our tourism regions are in the best possible shape on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This targeted new fund will support internationally dependent tourism regions to adapt their offerings, experiences and marketing to appeal to domestic visitors in the short-term and be in the strongest possible position to welcome back international tourists down the track.

“Increasingly we are targeting sectors hardest hit, with this regional support sitting alongside our $50 million business events program to get meetings, conventions and conferences up and running again, which is so crucial to the visitor economies of our capital and larger cities.”

Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism Jonno Duniam said regional tourism was the lifeblood of so many Australian towns and regional communities and this would help to get them back on their feet adding “tourism will never be the same again, but there is opportunity in this challenge and the greatest opportunity is in our regions.

“Our $50 million package will help to realise this opportunity, it will assist in saving thousands of businesses and jobs in the first and worst hit regional tourism areas across the country.”

Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino said BBRF Round 5 presents a great opportunity for regional communities to see the benefit of continued investment.

Assistant Minister Marino highlighted that “BBRF has been such a successful program, with regional, rural and remote Australia reaping the rewards.

“Local jobs, local procurement, local upgrades and local wins – that’s what BBRF means to communities across the country.”

BBRF Round 5 will be delivered like its previous four rounds, with Infrastructure Project and Community Investment streams. Grant Opportunity Guidelines will be made available shortly, consistent with the existing BBRF framework, to assist potential applicants.

Image: Ballooning in South Australia's Barossa Valley