Supporting Australian tourism and travel package

Measures to upskill workers, ensure quality tourism products and attract visitors.

Status: Targeted grant opportunities

Tourism and Travel Support Package

Aims of the Tourism and Travel Support package are to:

  • support hospitality, tourism and travel sector recovery
  • upskill workers
  • ensure quality tourism products
  • deliver infrastructure upgrades.

The Australian Government announced the package in the Federal Budget, October 2022, as well as other tourism measures announced in the March 2022 Budget.

The programs include the:

  • Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Employment and Skills Platform Grant
  • Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Program: Round 1
  • Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) Grant Program.

Hospitality, Tourism and Travel Employment and Skills Platform Grant Program

The Australian Government granted $10 million to Accommodation Australia over 4 years to implement an online hospitality skills and training platform called eeger (formerly known as "The Hub").

Launched in July 2025, eeger offers bespoke training and upskilling for new and existing hospitality workers. It is part of the industry’s post-pandemic recovery.

Program summary

The eeger platform has been developed as a national, online information source.

It allows Accommodation Australia (AA) to host a one-stop shop for people across the visitor economy in the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors. It will help:

  • employers
  • existing and prospective workers
  • students
  • international visitors.

The eeger platform will connect these cohorts to education, employment and other information. This will strengthen the hospitality, tourism and travel workforce and promote careers in the industry.

The grant objective aligns with Priority 3 of the THRIVE 2030 strategy, Grow a secure and resilient workforce.

Grant recipient

This grant opportunity was a targeted grant program.

Austrade is administering this grant. AA is delivering the program in line with policy outcomes. AA will continue to collaborate with relevant representative bodies within the visitor economy to enhance the platform and ensure it meets broad industry needs.

For more information, please contact TheHubGrant@austrade.gov.au.

Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Grant Program: Round 1

In Round 1 of this program, the Australian Government granted $15 million to Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) over the 3 years from 2024–25. This was to drive up visitor numbers to Tropical North Queensland, including the Great Barrier Reef.

Program summary

Tropical North Queensland is one of the tourism regions most economically dependent on international tourism. The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected it.

The Round 1 grant funding of $15 million has helped accelerate the return of international visitors to assist recovery and promote the Great Barrier Reef. It did this by:

  • re-attracting traditional markets
  • building new and diversified international markets
  • attracting visitors through innovative marketing approaches and growth in regional tourism that also includes the Great Barrier Reef.

Grant recipient

This grant opportunity was a targeted grant program. Eligibility was limited to Tourism Tropical North Queensland Limited (ABN: 94 009 953 084).

For more details, please contact ttnqgrant@austrade.gov.au.

More information

In 2025, the Australian Government announced a $10 million Reef Educational Experience Fund (REEF). Of this, up to $3 million has been granted to TTNQ to boost reef education and sustainable tourism. This will be delivered under Round 2 of the Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Grant Program.

Austrade will continue to administer this targeted grant program for Round 2. Read more about Tropical North Queensland International Tourism Recovery Grant Program: Round 2.

Quality Tourism Framework Grant Program

The Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) is an online tourism accreditation program to support small and medium-sized tourism businesses. The Australian government is granting up to $8 million to the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) over 4 years to enhance the QTF.

Program summary

The QTF provides a pathway for:

  • online training
  • quality assurance
  • product development
  • digital distribution
  • market development.

The purpose of the grant is to improve the capability of the QTF, ensuring Australia has:

  • high-quality tourism businesses
  • new, world-class, internationally competitive tourism products
  • improved supply side capacity.

Grant recipient

This grant opportunity was a targeted grant program.

Austrade is administering this grant. ATIC will deliver the program in line with policy outcomes. ATIC will continue to collaborate with relevant representative bodies, industry councils and stakeholders within the visitor economy to enhance the QTF.

For more information, please contact QTFGrant@austrade.gov.au.