What is the Enabling Tourism Fund?

The Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 is supporting regional and rural Victorian tourism projects by funding planning activities such as feasibility studies and design for future investment.

This fund will help to deliver a strong pipeline of investment-ready tourism infrastructure projects across Victoria.

How much funding is available under this fund?

The fund will provide grants under two streams:

  • Stream 1 – Testing the Concept will provide grants between $20,000 and $500,000 (excl. GST) for a project to test the concept of a new infrastructure project, such as a feasibility study, master plan or business case.
  • Stream 2 – Preparing for Investment will provide grants between $20,000 and $500,000 (excl. GST) to prepare a combination of materials to ensure that a project is ready for infrastructure investment. These could include a detailed design package, funding strategy or stakeholder and community engagement plans.

The fund will focus on five product priorities identified in Experience Victoria 2033 – First Peoples-led experiences, wellness, arts and culture, food and drink and nature.

All applications for the Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 are now closed.

Can I apply for both streams?

Applicants can only submit one application for either Stream 1 or Stream 2.

All applications for the Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 are now closed.

What are the key dates for this fund?

The indicative key assessment dates for this round of the Enabling Tourism Fund are:

  • Applications open: 19 January 2024
  • Applications close: All applications for the Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 are now closed.
  • Successful activities announced: July 2024
  • Grant Agreements finalised: from July/August 2024

Who is eligible to apply for funding under this fund?

Applicants must be one of the following types of entities to apply:

  • Private sector proponents (defined as a privately‑owned or commercial organisation that has overall control and responsibility for a project that is predominantly funded through private capital)
  • Local and State Government entities, based in Victoria including:
    • Public Land Managers
    • Land Management Authorities and Committees of Management
    • Local Government Authorities
    • A Victorian Alpine Resort (such as one of the Six alpine resorts are legally incorporated under the Alpine Resorts (Management) Act 1997 and managed by Alpine Resorts Victoria)
  • State or Local Government owned entities
  • Incorporated associations
  • Not‑for‑profit organisations, including community groups that are an incorporated body, cooperative or association
  • Traditional Owner Corporations, organisations and groups, and Aboriginal‑owned businesses.

Eligible applicants must also:

  • Possess an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • Be financially solvent.

Where an entity is not incorporated, an auspicing arrangement may be considered. The applicant is still required to meet all other eligibility criteria.

Will all eligible applicants receive funding?

This is a competitive grant process and not all eligible applicants will receive funding.

Who is ineligible to apply for funding under this fund?

The following entities are not eligible to apply:

  • Unincorporated organisations or joint ventures (unless under an auspicing arrangement)
  • Individuals
  • Utility and services providers
  • Water corporations
  • Commonwealth Government owned entities.

What projects are eligible for application under this fund?

Applications for the Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 are open to:

  • projects delivered in locations covered by existing Regional Tourism Boards and Visitor Economy Partnerships as listed on Industry partners | Tourism and Events, and specific interim entities that are recognised by DJSIR – Tourism and Events as being part of the regional tourism network
  • projects in regional and rural Victoria
  • projects that provide tourism benefit in Victoria.

Stream 1 – Testing the Concept

  • business case development
  • feasibility studies
  • master planning including concept design
  • market testing and assessments
  • site analysis.

Stream 2 – Preparing for Investment

A combination of the following that delivers a project ready for infrastructure investment:

  • detailed design package
  • quantity Surveying Report
  • relevant technical investigations, plans and reports to progress the project for example; universal design, environmental and sustainability plans, Cultural Heritage Management Plans, quantity surveying, traffic management
  • stakeholder and community engagement plan and implementation
  • operational viability studies
  • investment Prospectus development
  • developing a funding strategy.

What documents are required when submitting an application for this fund?

Please submit all documentation with your application to ensure eligibility and demonstrate project readiness. Desired supporting documentation is not a requirement, however it will further demonstrate and support project readiness, if applicable.

The quality of the documentation will be assessed in conjunction with the applicant’s responses to the assessment criteria for the funding stream outlined in Section 5 of Assessment Criteria in the Program Guidelines.

Applications must demonstrate how projects will be finished within 18 months of an executed Grant Agreement through a detailed Project Management Framework and other supporting documents evidencing project readiness.

The following documentation is mandatory to submit with your application:

  • Comprehensive draft project brief and / or request for quote and / or project proposal
  • Project costings
  • Evidence confirming the organisation’s ability to finance the co‑contribution
  • For grants of $50,001 or more evidence of financial stability (not required for Local Government Authorities, Alpine Resort Management Boards, State Government Departments and statutory agencies, and publicly funded universities and educational institutions).
  • The company’s financial projections for the next three financial years, including Profit and Loss and Cash Flow
  • Evidence of an auspicing organisation where required
  • Aboriginal Organisation Registration (if applicable)
  • Activity Schedule
  • Governance Structure
  • In kind form (in kind will not be considered as part of the financial contribution).
  • Letters of Support
  • Landowner Consent (if applicable)
  • Business plan and project proposal (if applying for Stream 2 – Preparing for Investment).

The following documentation is desirable but not mandatory to supply with your application:

  • Evidence to support the potential for the project
  • Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Reports.

Are projects eligible for funding if they have already received funding in an earlier round of the Enabling Tourism Fund?

Yes, provided that the request is for a component that is separate and distinct from what has already been funded.

Eligibility will be assessed for activities that are considered the next phase of works and required to bring the project to investment-ready status.

Are there any templates I should include with my application?

Enabling Tourism Fund – Project plan template (DOCX 1481.58 KB) DOCX icon (mandatory for application)

In-Kind and voluntary support – Form and factsheet (DOCX 959.15 KB) DOCX icon

Profit, loss and cashflow projections template (XLSX 621.98 KB) XLSX icon

What is Experience Victoria 2033?

Experience Victoria 2033 was released in May 2023 and is the state’s strategic plan to shape the future of Victoria’s visitor economy over the next 10 years. The plan will strengthen Victoria’s enviable tourism offering by leveraging the state’s competitive advantages. The fund will focus on five product priorities identified in Experience Victoria 2033 – First Peoples-led experiences, wellness, arts and culture, food and drink and nature.

For examples of tourism experiences that complement the five product priorities and could be endorsed through the Enabling Tourism Fund, please read section 1.2 in the program guidelines.

Who do I contact if I have further questions regarding the Enabling Tourism Fund?

If you have further questions regarding the Enabling Tourism Fund, please contact tourism.projects@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

How to apply

Please read all the information on this page and the program guidelines before applying.

All applications for the Enabling Tourism Fund 2024 are now closed.