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With its sleek good looks and easy-to-use yet powerful functionality, Envibe is the premium fitness club software for the Australasian leisure, recreation and fitness industry. We are the most…
read moreThe Australian Government is expected to subsidise 800,000 domestic flights, help the nation’s two main airlines and offer cheap loans to small operators as part of $1.2 billion package to support tourism following the ending of the JobKeeper allowance at the end of this month.
The support package for tourism businesses still struggling with international COVID border restrictions is due to be unveiled by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison before the end of the week.
Seeking to prop up the industry when the JobKeeper subsidy scheme ends this month, the package will see the Federal Government pay 50% of the cost of flying to 13 destinations between 1st April and 31st July while international borders remain closed.
With airlines agreeing to provide additional flights to those places, the Federal Government will provide financial support to Qantas and Virgin Airways between 1st April and 31st October - when international flights are expected to resume.
With the Federal Government in the process of finalising the details of the new support for areas suffering ongoing downturns in tourism activity, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the program would hinge on making sure there are regular domestic flights, as well as support from state and territory leaders, telling the ABC “what we want to see as the vaccine is rolled out, I think, (is that state) Premiers should be less inclined to hit the panic button and to bring about border closures.”
Deputy Prime Minister McCormack said Australians needed to have confidence that when they booked a holiday they would be able to make the trip and then return home.
The program is expected to also include loans of up to $5 million to tourism businesses with two-year repayment holidays.
With the JobKeeper wage subsidy set to wrap up on 28th March, the number of people on the scheme continuing to fall.
Figures from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) showed 1.54 million people collected the subsidy between October and December, down from 3.6 million between April and September.
While some industries, have bounced back from the Coronavirus recession better than others, tourism operators - particularly in areas that usually receive large international visitors - say they need more help.
Tourism is one of Australia’s biggest industries, worth more than $60 billion and employing about 5% of the country’s workforce. However, the industry was crippled when the country shut its international borders in March 2020 to curtail the spread of COVID-19 - leaving tens of thousands of people on the country’s wage-subsidy scheme.
Images: Cairns is relying on support after JobKeeper (top) and Virgin Australia, alkong with Qantas, will provide additional flights under the new tourism support package (below).
9th March 2021 - Queensland Government loan supports local tourism sector
8th March 2021 - ATEC highlights the impact of declining inbound tourism on regional communities
27th February 2021 - Ecotourism Australia continues to call for funding support from Federal Government
26th February 2021 - $40 million funding support announced for Indigenous Tourism
25th February 2021 - Sunshine Coast sub-regions launch tourism marketing campaigns
23rd February 2021 - AFTA spotlights the need for JobKeeper extension for the tourism industry
23rd February 2021 - Hervey Bay Tourism given a boost with new Jetstar flights
20th February 2021 - Asset sales reduce Experience Co’s half-yearly losses as tourism operator
18th February 2021 - Australia’s $45 billion export tourism Industry at risk without JobKeeper replacement
17th February 2021 - VTIC fear loss of jobs in Victorian tourism and events without further support
12th February 2021 - WTTC new paper showcases tourism industry’s role in in enhancing social progress
11th February 2021 - Tourism Australia launches new campaign to boost business events across Australia
4th February 2021 - Visit Sunshine Coast and Tourism Noosa partner in launching new tourism campaign
3rd February 2021 - Ecotourism Australia highlights ending JobKeeper will see many businesses suffer
2nd February 2021 - Tasmanian Government helps tourism attractions with insurance contributions
2nd February 2021 - Queensland Acting Premier calls for JobKeeper extension to support tourism industry
1st February 2021 - Without JobKeeper Australian tourism businesses face ‘annihilation’
1st February 2021 - Queensland tourism industry anticipates Easter boost from Sydney visitors
30th January 2021 - Australian tourism industry unites to call for post-March Federal Government business support
21st January 2021 - Australian tourism industry haemorrhaged almost $7 billion over the summer holidays
19th January 2021 - Facing ongoing international borders closures tourism industry calls for continued Federal Government support
19th January 2021 - Tourism Australia Managing Director predicts top global travel trends for 2021
14th January 2021 - TCWA says one in five Western Australian tourism businesses at risk if JobKeeper ends
4th January 2021 - Policy body warns that thousands of tourism businesses face closure without $1 billion lifeline
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