Some 50,000 travel vouchers were taken up by Victorians in just over three minutes this morning, providing a major boost to tourism businesses and workers across the state.
The $10 million third round of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme represented the largest release of the popular $200 vouchers and unprecedented interest saw the allocation exhausted in record time.
More than 46,000 people were waiting to apply as applications opened at 10:00am. The allocation was gone in three minutes and 35 seconds, with 82,000 people online at the peak. Victorians who secured vouchers today will be able to claim a rebate for travel between 6 April and 31 May.
A fourth round of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme featuring vouchers taken up in the initial rounds but not used will be made available, with details to be announced.
Regional voucher holders are required to spend $400 on paid accommodation, experiences, tours or attractions in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges or the Mornington Peninsula, and spend at least two nights in paid accommodation.
The new allocation means 200,000 travel vouchers for $200 have now been taken up by Victorians, including 40,000 vouchers for travel in metropolitan Melbourne currently in circulation.
Victorians have to date made 14,000 claims for round two of the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme and preliminary data shows strong demand for coastal regions including the Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast, Surf Coast, East Gippsland and Colac-Otway shires.
This follows the more than 52,000 voucher redemptions and $85 million spent by Victorians in the first round, with an average length of stay of five nights and approximately $1,700 spent per voucher. Underlining the benefits of the scheme, four out of five visitors said that they would want to return to the region where they had travelled.
More information on the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme can be found at vic.gov.au/regional-travel-voucher-scheme.
As stated by Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Jaala Pulford
"It's fantastic that so many people want to explore their state and support the businesses and workers that make Victoria the best place in the country to visit."
"We know that our famous holiday destinations will be busy over Easter - these vouchers will help to ensure that demand stays high across April and May."
