The Australian travel industry appears to be on the mend in terms of operational activity. While retail and other industries were among the first to recover from the pandemic, the tourist and hospitality industries have been plagued by disruptions and financial losses for years.
The government has been distributing incentives and revenue-boosting measures in response to the hospitality and tourism industry’s dire situation. The government recently announced that the remaining AU$75.5 million contributed under the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program had been released (CTSP). The money is earmarked for travel agents and tour-planning services.
The Australian government has recently approved more monies to assist communities affected by international border restrictions, extending these efforts. Meanwhile, the Victorian government has promised that travel coupons will be reinstated.
Domestic travel enterprises are likely to benefit financially from these initiatives, allowing them to cover their costs and provide services on schedule. The tourist industry is currently witnessing a surge in domestic travel, and with the recent reopening of borders, a big flood of overseas visitors is expected.
Tourism in Queensland gets a boost
The return of the international tourism market, according to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, will strengthen the Australian economy, support hundreds of thousands of tourism jobs, and support the country’s world-class tourism operators and regions reliant on foreign visitors, such as tropical North Queensland.
Adding to this expectation, the Morrison government recently announced an additional AU$60 million investment in Queensland tourism. While the move is being interpreted as an election-related move, it is certain to benefit the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The government is investing AU$45 million in Tourism Australia and the remaining AU$15 million in Tourism Tropical North Queensland as part of the newly announced package to bring tourists back and promote the Great Barrier Reef. Essentially, the funds would be used to help businesses expand their operations while also creating jobs in the travel industry.
Tourism benefits:
According to Tourism Tropical North Queensland, over 9,000 tourism-related jobs have been lost since the pandemic began. Several tourism agencies and other service providers have been hit hard by pandemic-related restrictions.
As a result, tourism operators are now starting from scratch in order to recover from losses. Following a prolonged lull in tourist traffic, Queensland is now ready to welcome visitors from around the world, thanks to government assistance.
A new round of travel vouchers has been released
Another set of good news is aimed at Victoria’s tourism industry, where the next batch of travel vouchers arrived today, i.e., March 23, 2022. The first 10,000 vouchers were distributed to eligible seniors via ballot the previous week. The most recent round includes 140,000 additional vouchers for the general public.
The voucher applications were taken from the Victoria government website, and the vouchers were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. It is not surprising that these vouchers attract a large number of applicants. The previous round of vouchers ran out in less than ten minutes.
However, each household is only allowed one voucher. Travelers who qualify for vouchers must stay in paid accommodations for a minimum of two consecutive nights. Those who have a voucher can claim a reimbursement for expenses incurred in the areas of lodging, attractions, and experiences between April 8, 2022, and May 27, 2022.
Benefits to the tourism industry:
Travel vouchers are an excellent way to direct tourism to a specific location. Travel vouchers, according to local tourism providers, have previously assisted in bringing more tourists to a specific area. The latest vouchers are expected to benefit locals who want to travel within the country during the specified travel period.
Domestic travelers can help the overall industry because airline capacity is limited and international tourism takes time to develop. Furthermore, the move is intended to alleviate Australians’ fear and apprehension about cross-border travel.