DAVID HARRIS MP
Shadow Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism
NSW Labor says the Stay and Rediscover Voucher Scheme announced today will be offered too late for tourism operators to recover, after being decimated over the last four months due to lockdowns and travel restrictions.
The tourism industry in New South Wales , particularly in regional areas has been hit extremely hard. These are family businesses who rely on people visiting to put food on the table and pay the bills.
Businesses have suffered, some have been forced to close.
The Premier at his press conference today said: “It starts as a pilot this year, will kick in statewide in March”.
NSW Shadow Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism, David Harris said the tourism industry is going to need as much support as possible to get going again.
“The Premier said today that NSW would not just bounce back, they would fly back, but t’s hard to fly with clipped wings, with vouchers not available until March next year,” Mr Harris said.
“A $50 voucher in six months’ time isn’t exactly the stimulus tourism operators and accommodation providers were expecting. Tourism operators can’t afford to wait until next year for relief.
“The Government should have had these vouchers ready to go by November 1 when regional travel resumes and well ahead of the Christmas/New Year holiday period when families will be able to travel.
“The date of regional travel was delayed, this voucher cannot be. It can’t be a rerun of the Vaccine Certificate app, people’s livelihoods are at stake.
“We want New South Wales’ tourism industry to thrive again. We want people out and about enjoying and discovering the regions, the coast and all that New South Wales has to offer.
“It’s incumbent the Government gets this stimulus right and gets the vouchers out the door by November 1.
NSW Labor called for tourism vouchers in 2020 when the impact of lockdowns on our state’s tourism industry first came to light. Other states also adopted this measure at the time successfully.
NSW Labor says $50 falls short of the amount given in other states.
For example, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory offered vouchers of up to $200.
This seems to a reoccurring theme with this government – delays and under delivery.
