What is the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program Multi-Outlet Scheme?
The COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program Multi-Outlet Scheme is a grant opportunity that provides funding to travel agents and tour arrangement service providers with multi-outlets to support them in dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program (CTSP) Multi-outlet scheme will provide grant payments for each eligible individual multi-outlet with a shopfront or commercial retail premises which is part of the business structure of a CTSP Round One or Round Two Australian Business Number (ABN) payee. Where the ABN payees are responsible for the liabilities of each multi-outlet the ABN will receive the payment. Where multi-outlets are responsible for their own liabilities (despite operating under a single ABN) the ABN holder will be required to make payments to the account of the specific outlet or distributed to them in a manner acceptable to Austrade where no separate bank account is available.
Funding
In December 2020, the Australian Government announced a total of $128 million for the Program to assist travel agents, inbound tour operators and tour wholesalers who have been severely impacted by COVID-19.
On 11 March 2021, the Australian Government announced a further $130 million as part of the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Round Two Program. Funding for this program forms part of the Round Two program.
Eligible applicants can apply for a grant of $10,000 for each operational multi-outlet with a shopfront or commercial retail premises.
Eligible Projects
To be eligible grant activities must:
- be aimed at supporting eligible multi-outlets in dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- include eligible activities and expenditure that assist eligible multi-outlets to continue to trade and process refunds and credits to Australian consumers for travel they were unable to undertake due to the impacts of COVID-19.
The grant may be used for eligible individual multi-outlets to support them in dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic associated with the costs of operating multiple shopfront and commercial retail outlets.
Examples of eligible expenditure include, but is not limited to:
- fixed operating costs
- variable operating costs
- costs associated with trading and processing refunds not covered by a fixed or variable operating cost.
Eligible Applicants
Applications will only be accepted from the ABN holder. Applications from individual multi-outlets operating under the ABN will not be accepted.
The following criteria must be satisfied to be an eligible ABN holder:
- have an ABN (be an ABN holder)
- be a travel agent or tour arrangement service provider with one or more individual outlets with a commercial or retail shopfront
- be operating at the time of the grant application
- have previously received a grant under Round One or Round Two of the COVID-19 Consumer Support Travel Program (please note: if you have not received the outcome of your grant under these rounds and meet all the other eligibility criteria, you can submit an application which will be assessed once the outcome of your Round One or Round Two application is known)
- use the grant for an approved purpose
- submit a complete application including all mandatory attachments by the application closing date.
The ABN holder must also ensure the following criteria is satisfied by each multi-outlet operating under the ABN:
- continue to operate (in Australia) and be solvent
- meet the definition of a travel agent or tour arrangement service provider.
Timing
Applications close 03 November 2021.
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