Reef Educational Experience Fund (REEF): Tourism Operator Training Program

Status: Open

The REEF: Tourism Operator Training Program is funding the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators Limited (AMPTO) to produce a training program for operator staff.

This Train the Trainer program will be based on 2 educational products from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. These are:

• Eye on the Reef
• Be a Marine Biologist for a Day.

Both products link to the Australian Curriculum.

The REEF: Tourism Operator Training grant program will help reef tourism operator staff get ready for a $6 million ‘Kids for the Reef’ school excursion rebate program.

Both the grant and rebate program are part of the Australian Government’s $10 million Reef Educational Experience Fund (REEF).

The $10 million fund will also:

• deliver $480,000 to eligible reef tourism operators to undertake upgrades, checks or clearances to welcome school groups
• back a $3 million international marketing and education campaign.

How the program works

This grant opportunity is a closed, non-competitive grant program. Eligibility is limited to the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators Limited (AMPTO).

Austrade will administer the program.

Program objectives

The objectives of this program are to: 

• cover up to 50% of the cost of the development and delivery of the Train the Trainer program for reef tourism operator staff
• address challenges in consistent staff skill development and retention
• build the sector’s ability to provide reef education to school groups
• support reef tourism operators to deliver products/activities with direct links to the Australian Curriculum, to assist with welcoming school groups
• raise awareness of the Great Barrier Reef environment and highlight the availability and importance of sustainable tourism.

Grant amounts

Up to $520,000 is available to AMPTO over 2 financial years: 2025-26 and 2026-27. AMPTO must complete all project activities before the program end date of 30 June 2027.

AMPTO and reef tourism operators that benefit from this program must contribute towards the REEF: Tourism Operator Training Program. The grant amount will be up to 50% of total eligible costs with a maximum grant value of $520,000.

Section 5 of the grant guidelines contains the full details of REEF: Tourism Operator Training Program eligible activities and expenditure.

Eligibility

The proposed grantee is the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators Limited (AMPTO), ABN: 77 008 657 823.

Section 4 of the grant guidelines contains the full REEF: Tourism Operator Training Program eligibility criteria.

Grant dates

The program opens for applications at noon AEST on Wednesday 25 February 2026.

Questions should be sent no later than 4:00 pm AEST on Thursday 19 March 2026.

Grant applications close at 4:00 pm AEST on Monday 23 March 2026.

Grant funding must be spent by 30 June 2027.

Grant guidelines

Download the REEF: Tourism Operator Training Program guidelines (DOCX 350KB). 

Contact us

If you have questions about your eligibility or the application form, please contact us before submitting your grant application.

Email: tourism.grants@austrade.gov.au

Phone: 13 28 78