Federal government flags boost for COVID-hit tourism sector

One of Australia’s hardest-hit sectors could receive a boost as the government flags plans for more support after JobKeeper ends next month.

Tourism operators could receive a boost, with the federal government working on targeted support for the coronavirus-ravaged sector.

The tourism industry has begged the federal government for support after JobKeeper stops at the end of March, with the sector to suffer a longer and slower recovery than other parts of the economy.

Tourism Minister Dan Tehan has begun a tour of Queensland, where he will meet with tourism operators across the state.

“I want to get a really good sense on the ground of what they need and then I will take that back to my colleagues,” he told Today on Monday.

RELATED: Vaccine passport could be required for international travel

Dan Tehan says the government would look at targeted support for the tourism industry after JobKeeper ended. Picture: Mick Tsikas / AAP Image

The tourism industry faces a longer, slower recovery from COVID-19. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

“We will be looking to see what we do post-JobKeeper to help the tourism industry.”

International travel came to an abrupt halt at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last year, and the government has played down hopes it would resume before 2022.

Domestic tourism has also been wracked by the 2019-2020 summer bushfires before a series of state border closures hit during the pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said although the JobKeeper payment was always intended to be temporary, the government was always open to targeted support.

“In terms of sectors, in particular parts of the country, where there is something that can be positively done to alleviate in specific ways … we’ve never been opposed to that,” he said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last week called for the federal government to extend the payment for the sector beyond its scheduled end date.

But Treasurer Josh Frydenberg appeared to reject the plea, urging states to “put their hands in their pockets” when the supplement winds up.

Mr Tehan said states could boost the sector by ending a practice of snap border closures in response to outbreaks, saying they had “killed” confidence in interstate travel.

Anthony Albanese says the simplest way to help the tourism sector is to extend JobKeeper for hard-hit businesses. Picture: Stewart McLean

“Tourism Australia’s most recent survey show it’s not the COVID that is preventing people from travelling at the moment, it’s lack of confidence due to border closures,” he said.

“We have to address that … (and) try to get a consistent approach around border closures.”

But Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the simplest way to support operators was to extend JobKeeper for heavily impacted businesses.

“The systems are in place, so you can just continue it on the basis of revenue,” he said on Monday.

Mr Albanese, who is on his own trip to the Sunshine State, said it was “no accident” Mr Tehan’s trip had coincided with his own.

“The Tourism Minister hasn’t been sighted here before today,” he said.

“It’s a good thing he’s here. I hope he’s here with an announcement about support for the tourism sector.”