Hospitality, shopping and entertainment vouchers on the cards for Melbourne

Melbourne City Council is looking at giving away hospitality vouchers to entice people back to the city. The details are still sketchy, but here’s what we know.

Melbourne residents might be out for a meal for free as the Melbourne City Council considers giving vouchers out to bring people back to the city. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Melbourne City Council is looking at giving away vouchers to bring the city back to life.

As part of an economic recovery plan to maximise Christmas trading, the council is exploring a scheme to give residents vouchers to spend on dining, shopping and entertainment in the CBD.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the The Future Melbourne Committee voucher plan would help prop up the industries hardest hit in the city.

“For hospitality, retail and entertainment we know that any stimulus that can bring people back is going to be really worthwhile,” she said.

Melbourne Christmas Festival 2020 Program Launch at Hosier Lane, Melbourne. Lord Mayor Sally Capp catches up with Santa during the launch. Picture: Tony Gough

“From our point of view making it as easy as possible for people to get the vouchers, for them to be able to use the vouchers, and every single eligible venue within the municipality of the City of Melbourne to benefit from that.

“The idea of the vouchers is that it’s a discount for the user, but it’s full value for the venue.

“We are coming out of one of the toughest times for our businesses many of whom are continuing to suffer economic hardship as a result of the pandemic.”

A similar system has been successful in Adelaide as NSW announce their own draw card to bring people back to city hot spots during the festive period.

The NSW government announced the $500m hospitality voucher scheme will help support struggling dining and entertainment sectors hit hard by COVID-19 with every adult resident receiving four $25 vouchers to be used for dining and entertainment.

Details about how much would be offered up in Melbourne and who would receive them have not been decided.

Council estimate the recession is the worst the city has seen in more than 100 years with the CBD experiencing the greatest loss.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic the municipality will see a loss of $110 billion over five years and CBD foot traffic down 65.5 per cent since this time last year.

In addition to this scheme council will partner with the Queen Victoria Market to fund a $100,000 voucher program.

The promotional competition aims to drive shoppers back to the market hub with the competition beginning on December 1.

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