Hundreds of thousands of Australians are getting another free $ 100 voucher to revitalize Sydney’s hotel industry as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
New South Wales Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce on Thursday that 200,000 vouchers will be made available to residents of the state as part of a $ 51.5 million stimulus package starting in June.
The vouchers are eligible for use in Sydney CBD hotels and are accessible on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thursday’s measures come as the NSW government’s $ 100 Dine & Discover hospitality vouchers become available to millions in late March.
As of June, 200,000 vouchers will be available to NSW residents as part of a $ 51.5 million incentive package
The state government is also expected on Thursday to reveal incentives for live music events – one of the few social institutions in NSW that has been severely constrained by social distance rules.
Other stimulus measures to be announced this week include a $ 5 million injection for corporate events and $ 2 million for the ailing tourism industry.
Ms Berejiklian said that weddings and dances can be enjoyed in unlimited numbers this week starting next Monday as part of the latest round of relaxation of restrictions.
“With international and business travelers virtually non-existent in the past year, the CBD, and in particular the accommodation industry, has struggled,” said Ms Berejiklian.
‘This new program comes on top of our other incentives such as the Dine and Discover scheme and gives an impulse to accommodation providers in a traditionally very quiet period.’
The $ 500 million Dine and Discover initiative aims to pump money into bars, restaurants and nightlife and has so far been trialled at The Rocks in Sydney, Northern Beaches and in Bega Valley and Broken Hill in regional NSW.
NSW Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian is expected to announce the new measures in a press conference on Thursday
Vouchers are eligible for use in Sydney CBD hotels and are on a first-come, first-served basis
Everyone in NSW will be able to access the freebies regardless of their zip code by the end of March, and dozens of zip codes will be eligible as of Friday.
Two $ 25 vouchers are available to spend at restaurants, cafes, bars, wineries, pubs, and clubs seven days a week, excluding holidays.
An additional two $ 25 vouchers can be used for entertainment and recreation, including museums, live music, and theater.
Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said the vouchers would be accessible through the Service NSW app and downloaded as a QR code, which can then presented to companies that have signed up for the program.
Ms Berejiklian described the initiative as a win-win for everyone.
“Because of Covid, we haven’t been able to support these companies for too long, so it’s a win for citizens and a win for companies as it increases their ability to host people again as we go through Covid,” she told reporters Friday.
All NSW residents will get access to $ 100 in free Dine & Discover vouchers at the end of March. Pictured are dinners at a Sydney bar
“It also makes it possible to open up the economy because the more dollars that go into the economy allows us to grow in the future to create and protect jobs because so many people have been displaced by Covid.”
Ms Berejiklian added that the government was “overwhelmingly pleased” with the initiative’s early success.
Vouchers will become available in more local government areas in the coming days.
Two of the $ 25 Dine & Discover vouchers can be spent on entertainment, including art galleries. Pictured are recent visitors to the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney
Customers will receive an email to let them know when it is their turn to request their vouchers, or they can use a simple online checker to qualify.
To check your eligibility, log in to Service NSW and click on the ‘vouchers’ section.
Then enter your address to see if your region is included, but all zip codes can be applied by the end of March.
There will be a non-digital alternative for customers who do not have a smartphone or compatible device.