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NSW GOVERNMENT BACKS THE RECOVERY OF THE
STATE’S VISITOR ECONOMY
The NSW Government has strengthened its commitment to the State’s visitor economy, investing $200 million in the 2020-21 NSW Budget to drive visitation and visitor spending in NSW to pre-COVID levels by 2024.
The NSW Budget was handed down today by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, unveiling a raft of stimulus and infrastructure-related measures to kickstart the recovery of the state’s economy.
In particular, the state’s visitor economy will be boosted through initiatives including support for small to medium businesses such as tax reform and skills training; funding for regional NSW communities and National Parks through infrastructure, maintenance and jobs programs; and the growth of precincts and associated industries.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the $200m investment in tourism would increase the reach and impact of domestic marketing campaigns, allow the state to secure major and strategic events, and support industry development programs.
“The visitor economy is the lifeblood of much of NSW, from our stunning Harbour City which is usually the country’s international gateway to the diverse regional communities that rely on visitors to keep local businesses operating,” Minister Ayres said.
“As NSW bounces back from this global pandemic, the visitor economy will be a shining light for the State by creating and securing jobs, and generating visitor spend as demand and visitation increases.
“We have strong interest from intrastate and interstate visitors looking for an escape after a tough year – NSW offers diverse destinations and experiences, and our tourism businesses are COVID Safe and ready to go.
“The NSW Government will work hand-in-hand with industry to help businesses navigate this new environment as we push to get travel, events, dining out, retail and visiting attractions back to pre-COVID levels.”
Key activities strengthening the NSW visitor economy in 2020-21 include:
- Destination NSW will promote the State’s destinations and experiences through campaigns including Love NSW for local travellers, the Sydney-focused Love It Like You Mean It targeting Sydneysiders, and The Great Escape for interstate markets
- Growth of the Sydney and NSW events calendar through securing major events to drive visitation and boost local economies including Disney’s Frozen, Pippin, Hamilton, The Rugby Championships and the Sydney SuperFight
- Delivery of Australian-first COVID-safe events including the new live music initiative Great Southern Nights (1,000 COVID-Safe gigs across NSW in November) and Vivid Sydney 2021
- Securing partnership campaigns with travel trade partners and airlines to develop opportunities to package and promote NSW short breaks, major events, destinations and experiences
- Delivering industry development programs to assist tourism businesses to develop, promote and sell their tourism products
- Delivering programs to attract more visitors, events and conferences and spread visitor economy benefits to more regional NSW communities
- Maintaining awareness of NSW as a visitor destination in international markets so Sydney and NSW are top of mind when border restrictions ease.
The Budget will help support Destination NSW’s work to return the visitor economy to pre-COVID levels by 2024 and its vision to position NSW as the premier visitor economy in the Asia-Pacific.
STIMULUS SPENDING SENDS STRONG MESSAGE TO HOSPITALITY AND ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR
The 2020-21 NSW State Budget is all about creating and supporting jobs through targeted stimulus measures, including the flagship $500m Out & About program.
Delivering $100 worth of digital vouchers to every adult NSW resident, the program will inject new energy into the economy, help businesses doing it tough and encourage employment.
The four $25 vouchers per person will be widely available in January 2021 and can be used at cafes, restaurants and on arts & tourism attractions across NSW.
Premier Gladys Berjikilian said NSW was in the “race against time” to support people who are – or soon will be – unemployed.
“This Budget has workers at its heart, with temporary, targeted stimulus to generate jobs and get businesses booming again,” she said.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said: “No industry has felt the economic impacts of COVID-19 more than the hospitality, arts and tourism industries. NSW acted swiftly to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19 and we want to help businesses by encouraging spending within local communities, especially within the hospitality, arts and tourism sectors.”
The program has been welcomed by industry bodies including Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia.
“The signature Out & About digital travel voucher program will be a $500 million lifeline for local cafes, restaurants and cultural attractions,” TTF CEO Margy Osmond said.
For more information about the Out & About program, visit nsw.gov.au/covid-19/out-about-vouchers
NSW BUSINESSES RECEIVE BROAD SUPPORT
NSW businesses are set to benefit from thousands of dollars in tax relief and a raft of other support measures designed to improve their cashflow and help them hire more staff.
Small businesses make up 97.5 per cent of businesses in NSW and are the backbone of the state’s economy. The NSW Government has acknowledged the need to support these enterprises following the challenges of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 through:
- $472m for new digital vouchers worth $1,500 for smaller enterprises to cover government fees and charges
- A two-year payroll tax rate cut from 5.45 per cent to 4.85 per cent and a permanent increase in the payroll tax threshold from $1 million to $1.2 million. The cuts will provide an average saving of around $34,000 a year for the next two years, with a total saving to businesses of about $2.4b
- $39m to extend the Business Connect program for a further three years
- $2.9b investment in vocational education and training to support the reskilling, retraining and redeployment of the state’s workforce
- Further development of the Service NSW app to support customers including businesses
Business NSW CEO Nola Watson said: “The economic blueprint delivered in the Budget supports the ongoing need to create jobs, drive investment and build infrastructure. This Budget provides a clear vision and pathway to do just that, and the business community will be supportive of measures to drive down costs, create employment and build for the future.”
ROAD TO RECOVERY CLEAR FOR REGIONAL NSW
Regional NSW communities will be supported on the road to recovery through historic investment in roads, recovery and resilience efforts and transformational infrastructure projects.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the Budget would help fuel a regionally led recovery in NSW reviving regional areas, attracting investment and ensuring regional NSW continues to be a fantastic place to live, work and visit.
“This Budget sees a $2.7 billion investment in regional projects and initiatives to revive regional areas, back businesses and attract investment. We are boosting the transformational Regional Growth Fund with a further $300 million, bringing the fund’s total to $2 billion, to deliver new rounds of popular programs,” Mr Barilaro said.
National Parks across the state will receive significant support to improve visitor experiences, and councils will be provided with funding to develop local areas.
Highlights for regional NSW include:
- $300m for the Regional Growth Fund including $100m for the Stronger Country Communities fund and $75m for Resources for Regions
- $100m over two years for the Regional Job Creation Fund to help attract and expand businesses across regional NSW
- More than $200m to help the State’s 128 councils to deliver infrastructure, facilities and services to build a better NSW including more than $9.4m under the Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme
- Investment in projects including: The Shoalhaven Sustainable Tourism Infrastructure Package, Jenolan Caves House Revitalisation Project, the Destination Dubbo project, Cessnock Airport upgrades, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital conservation, education and tourism precinct, and the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore precinct development
- $39m for State National Parks to improve visitor experiences including new walks, lookouts, picnic areas and accessibility
POSITIVE PUSH FOR PRECINCTS AND ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES
The Government has earmarked significant investment to develop Greater Sydney through arts, culture, sports and recreation infrastructure and programs in today’s State Budget.
Western Sydney was a big winner with a commitment to widespread infrastructure projects including WestConnex, Sydney Metro’s Western Sydney Airport line, road and rail upgrades alongside the confirmation of many other lifestyle and culture developments for the precinct.
These include $16.6m infrastructure spend for the Botanic Gardens Western Sydney to increase participation in sport and cultural activities and improve visitor experiences at Sydney Olympic Park. The Powerhouse Museum at Parramatta and Museum Discovery Centre in Castle Hill will receive $269.9m to continue the expansion and development of facilities.
Stadia are also on the agenda with $39.9m for Stadium Australia in 2020-21 for capital works and maintenance, while $3m will be spent on Jubilee Oval in Kogarah to develop it as a suburban stadium.
Arts, screen and culture sectors will receive $291m for new initiatives designed to attract investment, support jobs and reactivate the State's cultural venues. This includes a record $175m over five years for Made in NSW to continue to attract international productions and keep the state’s competitive edge as a world-class destination for film and television.
