Tourism: small business supports for your industry

There is no doubt those working in the tourism industry have been greatly affected by COVID-19 and travel restrictions, on top of the usual stresses and challenges faced by small business owners.

This page provides you with information on some of the support services available related to your industry, whether it is for mental health, business support or help with managing adversity and build resilience.

Mental health and wellbeing support

• Beyond Blue – provides mental health information and support available to everyone in Australia. This includes immediate and crisis support lines, resources and factsheets, learning communities and training. The Beyond Blue Heads Up program provides support and resources for mental health in the workplace.
• Head to Health – offers digital mental health resources, COVID-19 support and links to mental health service providers.

Business support

• Supporting small tourism businesses factsheet – developed by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources and Tourism Australia, this factsheet provides links to general business advice, grants, marketing, online capabilities, tax, staffing issues, climate change and indigenous support.
• Austrade – the ‘How we can help you’ page outlines business and financial supports, programs and tools.
• Tourism Australia – provides information on government support and relief assistance for tourism for COVID-19 and bushfires and ongoing performance, industry contacts, resources and events.
• Australian Regional Tourism – represents and promotes the development and sustainability of regional tourism. The A.R.T Tourism Hub facilitates networking, and community for sharing information and webinars.

State and territory tourism bodies

Connect with your local state or territory tourism body for industry resources, resources and networks.

• Tasmania – Tourism Tasmania
• Victoria – Business Victoria
• Queensland – Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ)
• Australian Capital Territory – Visit Canberra
• New South Wales – Destination NSW
• South Australia – South Australian Tourism Commission
• Northern Territory – Tourism NT
• Western Australia – Tourism WA

COVID-19 support

• Tourism Australia – lists useful contacts, supports, services and information for COVID-19 relevant to the tourism industry.

Bushfire support

• National Recovery and Resilience Agency – works with bushfire affected communities.

Social support and forums

• Australian Regional Tourism Hub

Mental health crisis support

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 – lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36 – beyondblue.org.au
• MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78 – mensline.org.au
• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 – suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Have we missed anything?

Do you know of a free support service that would be useful for small business owners in the Tourism industry? Please email us on [email protected] and let us know!