As part of the federal government’s $1.2 billion stimulus package 800,000 discounted airline tickets will be made available to Australians in a bid to restore the tourism, travel and aviation industries. The “great stress” on the tourism industry was “exacerbated” first by the closure of international and domestic borders in response to COVID-19, and then by the slow reopening, according to Mr Westaway.
“Whilst the government has been meritorious in trying to find some stimulatory approaches the difficulty is it’s too narrow and it’s actually left on the sidelines the tourism product,” he said. Mr Westaway told Sky News cheap airfares “get people excited” but it remains to be seen whether the stimulus will convert to “ongoing economic benefit”. “We really just want to sit down with government and work through ongoing, constructive engagement,” he said.
And still no real support for the Events & Entertainment industries which drive so much tourism & travel as well..