❓ Mr. Punch asks about the McGowan government's tourism recovery package and how it will support small tourism businesses impacted by COVID-19, especially those in areas with stricter travel bans. The Minister outlines the $14.4 million package, including cash grants and survival funds, focusing on businesses in the north, Pilbara, and Goldfields.
AnsweredQoN 273Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
TOURISM INDUSTRY — RECOVERY PACKAGE
273. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the devastating impact
COVID-19 has had on WA's tourism industry. Can the minister outline to
the house how the McGowan government's multimillion-dollar tourism
recovery package will support those small tourism businesses and operators that
have been impacted by COVID-19 and, in particular, those businesses that are
based in parts of our state where travel bans are more restrictive than they
are in other places?
TOURISM INDUSTRY — RECOVERY PACKAGE
273. Mr D.T. PUNCH to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the devastating impact
COVID-19 has had on WA's tourism industry. Can the minister outline to
the house how the McGowan government's multimillion-dollar tourism
recovery package will support those small tourism businesses and operators that
have been impacted by COVID-19 and, in particular, those businesses that are
based in parts of our state where travel bans are more restrictive than they
are in other places?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Bunbury for
his question and his support for the Western Australian tourism industry.
As I said in this place yesterday,
the government has acknowledged from the very start of the COVID crisis that
the tourism sector has been probably the most impacted industry and stands, in
many cases, to be the longest impacted with respect to moving out of the
restrictions imposed to respond to COVID.
This morning, I was very heartened to join the Premier for
his announcement of a $14.4 million recovery package to support our tourism
industry, which has been so severely impacted. It has two funding programs. The
first is the tourism recovery fund, with $10.4 million in cash grants available
for up to 1 600 small businesses across the state with annual taxable wages of
less than $1 million. They are those businesses that were not the beneficiaries
of some of the other government initiatives that have been rolled out already
to support small business. The $6 500 will provide immediate support for
eligible tourism operators, including accommodation, attraction, tour and
transport businesses.
The second funding program is a $4 million
tourism business survival grants fund and it will be available for those
operators dealing with exceptionally difficult circumstances. It provides
grants ranging between $25 000 and $100 000 per business. It is very focused, naturally
and understandably, on those parts of the state that are likely to be impacted
by the COVID response for the longest time. That includes those tourism
operators in the north and in parts of the Pilbara and goldfields who are very
likely to be restricted in their ability to access the Perth market for a time.
They confront challenges associated with hibernating their business; supporting
their infrastructure; fees for licensing, insurance and the like; and also
supporting their employees until the seasonal market is reopened.
As part of the application process,
businesses will need to submit a recovery plan to outline how the funding will be used and, importantly, demonstrate their
ability to pivot towards the new market, which in the near term will be Western
Australians holidaying in WA. It is focused on the intrastate market. They need
to meet other obligations. I urge small businesses in the tourism sector across
the state to go to the industry page of the Tourism WA website and follow the prompts. We are here to help. It
has taken time to get this ready. It is a robust program and is focused on giving support where it is most needed.
his question and his support for the Western Australian tourism industry.
As I said in this place yesterday,
the government has acknowledged from the very start of the COVID crisis that
the tourism sector has been probably the most impacted industry and stands, in
many cases, to be the longest impacted with respect to moving out of the
restrictions imposed to respond to COVID.
This morning, I was very heartened to join the Premier for
his announcement of a $14.4 million recovery package to support our tourism
industry, which has been so severely impacted. It has two funding programs. The
first is the tourism recovery fund, with $10.4 million in cash grants available
for up to 1 600 small businesses across the state with annual taxable wages of
less than $1 million. They are those businesses that were not the beneficiaries
of some of the other government initiatives that have been rolled out already
to support small business. The $6 500 will provide immediate support for
eligible tourism operators, including accommodation, attraction, tour and
transport businesses.
The second funding program is a $4 million
tourism business survival grants fund and it will be available for those
operators dealing with exceptionally difficult circumstances. It provides
grants ranging between $25 000 and $100 000 per business. It is very focused, naturally
and understandably, on those parts of the state that are likely to be impacted
by the COVID response for the longest time. That includes those tourism
operators in the north and in parts of the Pilbara and goldfields who are very
likely to be restricted in their ability to access the Perth market for a time.
They confront challenges associated with hibernating their business; supporting
their infrastructure; fees for licensing, insurance and the like; and also
supporting their employees until the seasonal market is reopened.
As part of the application process,
businesses will need to submit a recovery plan to outline how the funding will be used and, importantly, demonstrate their
ability to pivot towards the new market, which in the near term will be Western
Australians holidaying in WA. It is focused on the intrastate market. They need
to meet other obligations. I urge small businesses in the tourism sector across
the state to go to the industry page of the Tourism WA website and follow the prompts. We are here to help. It
has taken time to get this ready. It is a robust program and is focused on giving support where it is most needed.
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