Austrade grant helps tourism operators reconnect with overseas markets

The Australian Government’s Reviving International Tourism Grant (RITG) Program, run by Austrade, has helped tourism businesses recover towards pre-pandemic levels.

‘RITG funding has been critical to the recovery of our business, to service the return of international travellers,’ says Kathy Turner of Goway Travel.

‘Without the cash injection we could not have got into the market so quickly after the pandemic,’ says Sandra Feustel from Pan Pacific Travel.

These 2 inbound operators are among many tourism businesses to get a boost from the RITG Program.

Promoting Australia at overseas trade shows

Grantees have been able to use RITG funds to attend overseas tourism expos to reconnect with international markets.

They’ve been to the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin and World Travel Market (WTM). IMEX America has been a popular destination.

Often, being at these events has opened access to new markets, too.

‘To have Australia so well represented at these events has sent a clear message to client markets,’ says Birgit Bourne from Insight Australia Travel. ‘It has let them know we are ready and keen for tourism to ramp up again.’

Insight Australia was among those grantees also attending national events. By going to Tourism Australia and Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) shows, it could learn about and buy new tourism products.

Not just for the inbound industry

RITG has also helped outbound operators reboot their business after the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘The value derived from this grant was immense,’ says Euan Landsborough of Albatross Tours. Outbound specialist Albatross part-funded a visit to ITB Berlin 2024 with RITG.

A view from World Travel Market (WTM) London 2023, one of the events approved under the RITG program. Image: WTM London

Online updates also included

The RITG Program began in 2022, aiming to increase tourism to and from Australia after COVID-19 lockdowns.

It has assisted operators under 2 streams:

• Stream 1 has supported tourism exporters (inbound tour operators) and travel wholesalers (including outbound tour operators) to attend pre-approved international and Australian events. These include conventions, expos and trade missions.
• Stream 2 has helped tourism businesses increase their digital visibility and international bookings. The grant stream was available for website overhaul/audit, online booking capability and other activities under the program guidelines.

Bringing home the real deal

For ID Events Australia, its RITG-funded attendance at overseas expos brought quantifiable benefits. During them, it signed deals to bring hundreds of international visitors to Australia for 6 to 7 nights.

At WTM London, Tania Huppatz of equestrian specialist Snaffle Travel spoke to hoteliers and coach companies. She found a source of Paris Olympics tickets for her clients.

Later, her attendance at Canada Rendezvous was helpful for creating new inventory and better understanding the market.

Great for specialists

Specialist operators have found RITG especially useful.

Abbey Language Travel has a long lead time – usually 18 months or more – from booking confirmation to tour departure. The company’s Alyson Moore feared an extra-long post-pandemic recovery because of this.

However, RITG funding helped quickly re-establish international supplier relationships. ‘In the 2024-25 financial year we are on track for pre-COVID numbers,’ says a grateful Moore.

Digital uplift

Goway Travel was among the grantees to receive RITG funding under both streams. Funding from Stream 1 took the company to ITB Berlin and to pre-approved Australian events.

Goway’s Stream 2 funds went towards an AI project. This aims to convert client emails into XML computer format and put them into Goway’s booking system. Work is underway with a Sydney-based company.

Insight Travel’s Birgit Bourne also heads up Australian Geographical Travel. She says a Stream 2 digital grant helped to optimise the Australian Geographic Travel website. ‘Its performance has increased exponentially as a result. We are getting hits from an increasing number of international markets.’

Learn more

The RITG Program was an action under THRIVE 2030, Australia’s visitor economy strategy.

Although the program has closed, Stream 1 grantees have until the end of 2024 to spend their grant. Stream 2 grants can be spent until March 2025.

This was also one of the first Australian Government grant programs to use virtual credit cards (VCCs). Austrade teamed up with HSBC Bank Australia in a move that streamlined grant payments and administration.

Read more about the RITG Program and the use of VCCs.