Melbourne to offer 40,000 vouchers to eat, sleep and play in CBD

A CBD scheme to rival regional travel vouchers hopes to bring the buzz back to Melbourne and support struggling businesses. Here’s what’s on offer.

Melbourne City Council is moving forward with a voucher program set to entice Victorian’s back to the city. Picture: David Caird

Travel vouchers have been introduced to bring visitors back to Melbourne as the city suffers through the biggest economic recession since World War II.

Victorians will soon be able to apply for $200 travel vouchers to visit Melbourne and stay the night in the CBD.

The CBD travel voucher proposal was flagged last year when Melbourne City councillors declared a “voucher war”, green-lighting a plan to introduce a scheme to rival the regional travel boost.

On Twitter, Lord Mayor Sally Capp said vouchers were “a good start” but further support from the state and federal government was still needed.

“The 40,000 accommodation vouchers for metro Melbourne are a good start to encouraging more people to rediscover the best of what our city has to offer,” she said.

“However, the challenges to the tourism industry are immense and co-ordinated support will need to continue for some time.

“Further co-ordination and ongoing support from all levels of government will be needed to reboot our city’s economy.”

Although grants will be offered to tourism, events and hospitality businesses as part of the state government’s Circuit Breaker Support Package, many have already closed their doors.

This month new data revealed the devastating impact COVID has had on shops in the Melbourne CBD.

Despite Melbourne reopening over the summer, in November and December tourist spending was down 91 per cent compared to the same time in 2019 and the number of empty offices and shops in Melbourne had also increased.

In a report presented to council, data collected found 29 per cent of shopfronts were shut including 15.28 per cent which were temporarily closed due to COVID.

Docklands had been the hardest hit area with only 53.1 per cent of shops occupied.

Of the vacant shops, hospitality vendors made up 17.4 per cent.

As part of the state government’s Circuit Breaker Support Package, tourism, events and hospitality businesses will be given grants.

Further information about the travel vouchers, including eligibility criteria and program guidelines, will be published on the government website soon.

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