Wineries, boutique accommodation, a distillery expansion, a Far North micro-brewery and a houseboat build are among the latest tourism projects to benefit from the South Australian Government’s regional stimulus program.
A further 12 new regional tourism development projects have been granted funding under the South Australian Tourism Commission’s Tourism Industry Development Fund (TIDF).
This brings the total number of successful applications to 21 – with a combined project value of nearly $14.9 million and grant amount of $3.7 million.
Premier Steven Marshall said the funding will help bolster the state’s tourism industry as it continues to recover from the dual crises of the global Coronavirus pandemic and last summer’s bushfires.
“South Australia’s regional tourism operators have received a multi-million dollar boost to help them extend and improve their offerings, creating jobs and boosting the local economy,” said the Premier.
“This will not only help them attract more visitors to their businesses, but to their region as well.
“Today’s almost $2 million cash injection will create more than 100 jobs and support regional communities from the bushfire-affected Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island, to the Flinders Ranges and Outback, and the Riverland.”
Popular Adelaide Hills attraction, Ambleside Distillers in Hahndorf, is one of the 12 businesses set to receive funding.
The award-winning spirit producer will be given $260,152 to expand its existing distillery door and tasting bar to increase its total capacity to 150 people.
Trudy Dickson, founder and distiller of Ambleside Distillers said the support the South Australian Government is providing to the tourism sector following the bushfires and COVID pandemic will make a noticeable difference to the Adelaide Hills community.
“Our spirit production and our tasting bar operations have both grown over the past three years with great support from our local SA community,” Dickson said.
“This grant will enable us to accelerate expansion plans that will mean we can offer more jobs locally and bring more tourists to our region. The new additions will help us to introduce whisky production and to increase the tasting bar capacity by another 50 seats.”
Tony Sharley, owner and operator of Murray River Walk, one of the Great Walks of Australia, will receive almost $190,000 in funding for a $628,470 luxury houseboat build.
“Houseboat holidays are synonymous with the Riverland and this funding is a big investment in our region. The experience that we will be able to offer visitors will help create more demand for the Riverland which will create more jobs and benefit many other businesses as well, not just our own,” Sharley said.
“We rely on 60 different local suppliers who provide us with everything from food, wine, groceries and fuel. The flow on effects of this funding will be felt by them as well, providing a much-needed boost following a very challenging 12 months.”
The $20 million fund runs until 31 March 2022 or until all funds have been allocated.
For more information about the TIDF, see here.
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