Tourism Industry Market Support Program:
how Tasmania supports tourism operators to recover from COVID19

Tasmania received lion’s share of federal funding

Tasmania will receive about $13.5 million of the $50 million in the government’s Regional Tourism Recovery Fund, the greatest share of the federal funding package which to rescue tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a recognition of the state’s heavy reliance on tourism.

Funding to boost interstate travel

The Tourism Industry Market Support Program is part of the COVID-19 Small Business Sustainability and Recovery Assistance Package. As part of the Tourism Industry Market Support Program, Tasmanian Government has allocated $750,000 to support small tourism operators in Tasmania to re-engage with interstate visitor market.

The state will reopen its borders to South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, the ACT and possibly New South Wales on October 26th. However, Tasmania will remain close to Victoria, the state which contributed 60 per cent of Tasmanian’s interstate travel in previous years.

Who’s eligible

To be available for the grants, businesses must meet all of the following:

• have an Australian business number (ABN) which must have been active on or before 29 February 2020, and continues to be active
• have an annual turnover of more than $50,000 (excluding GST) for 2018-19 or 2019-20 financial year OR for recently established businesses, estimate that annual turnover will exceed $50,000 (excluding GST) in the 2020-21 financial year
• earn at least 50% of their income from the applicant business
• operate predominantly in Tasmania and the business owners must reside in Tasmania

What business can apply

visitor attraction

backpacker/youth market

self-contained accommodation

hosted accommodation

hotel /motel /caravan park

tour/transport operator

Types of grants

There are 2 types of grants:

• grant 1 – up to $1000 available as one-off marketing support
• grant 2 – up to $2500 available as on a dollar for dollar matched basis as one-off marketing support

Businesses who can satisfy the assessment criteria of grant 1 and grant 2 may choose to apply for both grants.

The grant program will close 30th October 2020 or until funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

If you want to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us.