The NSW Government will invest more than $8 million in a suite of grant programs to accelerate the recovery of the NSW visitor economy as the state reopens to visitors.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the funding was great news for the local visitor economy and would support tourism businesses across the Cootamundra electorate as life after COVID-19 restrictions resumed.
“More than ever, our visitor economy needs support to build on the potential of the tourism offering in our region, which is amongst the best in the State.
“Our tourism operators have been dealt consecutive years of hardship, so I am delighted this funding is being made available by the NSW Government to help them capitalise on the hard work and resilience they’ve shown over this challenging time and get them back operating at the level we know they can.
“In previous years, events such as the Harden Kite Festival and Warbirds Downunder Airshow were awarded grants under the Regional Event Fund. Thanks to these grants, the events are expected to be bigger and better than ever when they return next year.” Ms Cooke said.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said the funding would be a significant boost to the visitor economy as travel restrictions lifted.
“This funding will create jobs, enhance the visitor experience, support the return of lifestyle and business events in regional NSW and promote our regions as ‘must-visit’ destinations, generating hundreds of millions in visitor expenditure,” Mr Ayres said.
“These grants are all about assisting NSW tourism operators and event organisers to develop and deliver the best possible visitor experiences and ensure we are the number one state to visit as we awaken to a new dawn post COVID-19.
“Whether it’s to upgrade the standard of accommodation, develop an entirely new visitor experience, stage conferences and regional events, or deliver a compelling destination marketing campaign, these grants will ensure NSW is top-of-mind for all types of visitors.
“Supporting our tourism operators is a top priority. They are the backbone of the visitor economy – their passion and resilience and incredible diversity of offerings are key to the state’s success.”
The $8.35 million will be delivered through the following programs:
- $4.1 million Tourism Product Development Fund – to support regional accommodation renewal and new visitor experiences
- – to support new and flagship regional events
- $2 million Co-operative Marketing Program – leveraging Destination NSW’s new Feel New marketing campaign
- $750,000 Regional Business Event Development Fund – to create, attract and support new business events for regional NSW
The NSW Government, through Destination NSW, will deliver the grants and support recipients to best manage their project delivery.
For more information on these funding programs and all other support available to businesses, go to www.destinationnsw.com.au/funding.
