REGIONAL TRAVEL VOUCHER SCHEME

Register for a $200 voucher to spend on accommodation, attractions or tours in regional Victoria.

With regional tourism operators still recovering from the devastating impacts of the 2019-20 summer bushfires and the coronavirus (COVID-19) travel restrictions, the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme is designed to help drive visitation to regional Victoria and support businesses and communities to recover.

Victorians are encouraged to explore their state with thanks to the Scheme providing eligible Victorians with $200 to help cover costs of accommodation, attractions or tours in regional Victoria.

Program overview

The Regional Travel Voucher Scheme will provide eligible Victorians an incentive to explore the state.

Vouchers will be offered to Victorian residents to contribute to the costs of accommodation, tourism attractions or tours undertaken in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula.

Victorians who receive a voucher and spend at least $400 on accommodation, experiences, tours or attractions during their stay will be eligible to receive a reimbursement of $200 on presentation of receipts.

Who can apply for a voucher?

Victorian residents over the age of 18 are eligible to apply. Each household is limited to one voucher for the entire scheme.

Each voucher gives the recipient the right to claim a reimbursement of $200 if they have spent at least $400 on accommodation, experiences, tours or attractions for a minimum 2 nights in paid accommodation in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges or the Mornington Peninsula.

Applicants must provide evidence they have spent $400 or more in the following categories:

  • paid accommodation, which means serviced apartments, backpacker and hostels, bed and breakfasts, cabins or caravans in holiday parks, caravan and camping site fees, cottages, farm stays, private holiday rentals, houseboats, motels, hotels, resorts, retreats and lodges

  • paid tours and experiences, which means tour operators that offer regularly organised tours with a leisure-tourism focus, organised by experienced guides. These may include a personal host and/or commentary. For example, a boat cruise, guided walk, bus tour, air tour, agri-tourism, food and wine tour, sport tour, outdoor and adventure tour

  • entry fees to regional attractions, which means places/areas of interest that offer a distinct visitor experience to the leisure tourist such as museums, water parks, local attractions, theme parks etc. (“Eligible Expenses”)

This includes spending a minimum of 2 nights in paid accommodation.

If you live in regional Victoria, the Yarra Ranges, the Dandenong Ranges or the Mornington Peninsula, you can still apply for a voucher, subject to the eligibility criteria outlined in the guidelines.

How much are the vouchers from this program?

Funding of $200 per household is available as reimbursement if more than $400 is spent in regional Victoria on eligible expenses listed above.

The vouchers are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

What can the vouchers be used for?

The vouchers can be used to help cover the costs of accommodation, tourism attractions or tours undertaken in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula.

For great travel ideas and inspiration across our state’s diverse and complex regions, please visit Visit Victoria.

Ineligible expenses

The vouchers won’t cover:

  • gaming

  • alcohol (except if alcohol is included in a wine, brewery or distillery tasting type tour; excludes any alcohol purchased and consumed outside of the experience)

  • fuel

  • food and drinks, except where packaged with an eligible expense such as a winery tour

  • groceries

  • personal items such as clothing and accessories

  • transport costs (rental vehicles, train and bus tickets)

How to apply

Applicants must submit a registration online.

Applicants may be subject to an audit by the Victorian Government or its representatives and will be required to produce evidence (such as receipts) at the request of the Victorian Government for a period of 4 years after the grant has been approved.

If any information in the registration is found to be false or misleading, any grant awarded to the applicant will have to be repaid on demand by the Victorian Government.

Please read all the information on this page, the program guidelines and the FAQs before applying.

Article Source: www.vic.gov.au/regional-travel-voucher-schemewww.vic.gov.au/regional-travel-voucher-scheme

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