Supporting Australian tourism and travel package

The Australian Government announced the package in the Federal Budget, October 2022.

Status: Targeted grant opportunities

Tourism and Travel Support Package

Aims of the Tourism and Travel Support package are to:

  • support hospitality, tourism and travel sector recovery
  • upskill workers
  • ensure quality tourism products
  • deliver infrastructure upgrades.

The Australian Government announced the package in the Federal Budget, October 2022, as well as other tourism measures announced in the March 2022 Budget.

The programs include the:

  • Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Employment and Skills Platform Grant
  • Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Program
  • Supporting Small and Medium Tourism Businesses Through the Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) Grant Program.

Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Employment and Skills Platform Grant Program 

The Australian Government will grant up to $10 million to Accommodation Australia (previously the Accommodation Association of Australia) over 4 years to implement an improved online hospitality skills and training platform, ‘The Hub’.  

The Hub will offer bespoke training and upskilling for new and existing hospitality workers. It is part of the industry’s post-pandemic recovery.

Program summary 

“The Hub” will be developed and implemented as a national, online information source.

It will allow the Accommodation Australia (AA) to host a one-stop shop for people across the visitor economy in the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors. It will help:

  • employers
  • existing and prospective workers
  • students
  • international visitors.

The expanded Hub will connect these cohorts to education, employment and other information. This will strengthen the hospitality, tourism and travel workforce and promote careers in the industry.

The grant objective aligns with Priority 3 of the THRIVE 2030 strategy, Grow a secure and resilient workforce. 

Grant recipient  

This grant opportunity is a targeted grant program.

Austrade will administer this grant. AAoA will deliver the program in line with policy outcomes. AAoA will collaborate with relevant representative bodies within the visitor economy to improve the platform and ensure it meets the broad industries’ needs.

AAoA must complete the final project by 30 June 2026.

For more information, please contact TheHubGrant@austrade.gov.au

Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Grant Program 

The Australian Government grants up to $15 million to Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) over 3 years. This is to drive international visitor growth to the Tropical North Queensland region, including visitation to the Great Barrier Reef.

Program summary 

Tropical North Queensland is one of the tourism regions most economically dependent on international visitation. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected it. 

The grant funding will help accelerate the return of international visitors to assist recovery and promote the Great Barrier Reef. It will do this by:

  • re-attracting traditional markets
  • building new and diversified international markets
  • attracting visitors through innovative marketing approaches and growth in regional tourism that also includes the Great Barrier Reef.

The grant objective aligns with:

  • Priority 6 of the THRIVE 2030 strategy, Build markets and attract visitors
  • Priority 7, Grow unique and high-quality products, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island experiences.

Grant recipient 

This grant opportunity is a targeted grant program.

Austrade will administer this grant. TTNQ will deliver the program in line with policy outcomes. TTNQ must work with:

  • Austrade
  • Tourism Australia
  • Tourism Events Queensland
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

TTNQ must complete the final project by 30 June 2025.

For more information, please contact TTNQGrant@austrade.gov.au.

Quality Tourism Framework Grant Program

The Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) grant opportunity is a targeted grant program.

The QTF aims to support Small and Medium Tourism Businesses. The Australian government will grant up to $8 million to Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) over 4 years to enhance and improve the QTF.

Program summary

The QTF is an online tourism accreditation program. It provides a pathway for:

  • online training
  • quality assurance
  • product development
  • digital distribution
  • market development.

The purpose of the grant is to improve the capability of the QTF, ensuring Australia has:

  • high-quality tourism businesses
  • new, world-class, internationally competitive tourism products
  • improved supply side capacity.

The grant objective aligns with Priority 4 of the THRIVE 2030 strategy, Embracing Leading Edge Practices.

Grant recipient

Austrade will administer this grant. ATIC will deliver the program in line with policy outcomes.

ATIC will collaborate with:

  • Austrade
  • state and territory industry councils
  • relevant representative bodies.

ATIC must complete the final project by 30 June 2026.

For more information, please contact QTFGrant@austrade.gov.au

More information

2022 Tourism and travel support Budget announcement.