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New $15 million tourism fund opens more opportunities for smart tourism businesses

29 Jun 2022

A new $15 million Tourism Experience Development Fund is designed to spur on the development of exciting new and enhanced tourism products that will increase the tourism offer in Queensland.

The new fund aims to rebuild visitor confidence, drive demand for Queensland destinations and meet the future needs and changing preferences of the modern traveller as well as deliver regional economic benefits.

The Tourism Industry Reference Panel in its Action Plan for Tourism Recovery identified that visitor experience would need to be ‘next level’ to ensure Queensland was a destination of choice for the next decade.  

The Tourism Experience Development Fund is a key outcome of their recommendations.

Travellers are looking for unique experiences – and Queensland has unique offerings that fulfil that appetite: the rich tradition and knowledge of country of the state’s First Nation’s peoples and the state’s natural wonders, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Wet Tropic rainforests, and the desert country of the outback.

Technology is also now a key part of the travel experience – just think about how the modern traveller manages their travel, bookings, insurance and itineraries these days. How people share their experiences. How technology, such as Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality, can enhance the tourism experience.

But also, and very importantly, tourism should be inclusive – it should be accessible.

This new Fund accounts for all that.

Grants of $50,000 to $200,000 will be available for projects with high growth potential, such as ecotourism that display the state’s natural wonders, accessible and inclusive tourism projects for people with accessibility issues, First Nations experiences, and adventure tourism.

Examples of projects that may receive funding are those which incorporate First Nations’ perspectives within existing or new visitor experiences or those which are looking to innovation and new technologies that improve or create visitor experiences.

The one-off Fund opens for applications on 15 July 2022 and applicants are required to contribute at least 75 per cent of the total project cost. Applications close on 26 August 2022.

For more information and the Fund’s guidelines.