The ballot for the Riverland Revival vouchers are officially open and will close Wednesday night at 10pm.
With values of $50, $100 and $200, vouchers can be used for experiences and accommodation in the Riverland and Murray River, Lakes & Coorong regions.
The first round of vouchers is valid for travel during April, May and June – including the Easter break and the April school holidays.
It’s all part of the Government’s “Rise up for our River” campaign – with three rounds of vouchers expected to inject millions into the communities hit hard by the once-in-a-century Murray River flood.
The campaign showcases iconic river locations, highlights tourism operators along the river and calls on South Australians to throw their support – and dollars – to impacted river communities.
Prior to the flooding event in late December 2022, tourism in the two regions was worth a combined $436 million and directly employing 2,800 people across both the Riverland and Murray River, Lakes & Coorong.
With the river receding, more tourism operators are now re-opening or in the process of cleaning up and plan to re-open in coming weeks. The vouchers have been timed and staggered based on feedback from the industry, and after consultation with operators including last week in Renmark, Berri and Murray Bridge, and through the SATC’s River Recovery Working Group.
For the first time in the SATC’s voucher program history, caravan park sites have been included, adding several thousand more options across the region as the larger parks re-open, such as Discovery Parks Lake Bonney, Big 4 Renmark Riverfront and Waikerie Holiday Park.
During the flood event, 10 of the 22 SA Parks properties were forced to close, with five remaining closed, while others are either open or in the process of recommissioning. Three were significantly impacted and have not yet set a date to reopen.
By April, almost 8,000 cabin beds and camping sites are expected to be available in parks across both Riverland and Murray River, Lakes & Coorong regions. This is in addition to more than 900 rooms across hotels and motels, and around 260 rooms in almost 80 villas, homestays and world-class retreats.
For the experience hunters, hosted winery experiences, river sightseeing tours, Aboriginal cultural tours, guided brewery and gin distillery flights, and canoe adventures will all be up for grabs.
Premier Peter Malinauskas says that the Government has committed $190 million to drive the recovery of the Riverland region.
“For us it was important to get this right, and to make sure the vouchers can make a difference to tourism operators right along the river. We were conscious of the fact that the campaign had to be equitable and timely, and importantly, create a strong call to action.”
“We look forward to welcoming more accommodation options in the next two rounds, in particular the houseboat sector and any other properties that might not be ready for trading in round one.”
Minster for Tourism Zoe Bettison says that today is emotional and significant.
“Just like the post-bushfire #BookThemOut campaign and the successful Great State Voucher program, we are urging South Australians to go and take a holiday for a good cause – this time, to “Rise up for our River” and help tourism operators impacted by this once-in-a-century flooding event.” she said.
“Tourism recovery in the regions has gone from strength-to-strength with eight consecutive months of record-breaking occupancy, but businesses along the Murray haven’t had a chance to enjoy that strong demand.”
“I implore South Aussies to make sure they register for a River Revival Voucher when they’re available, book a holiday and enjoy everything that is on offer. From wine and food, nature at its best, accommodation from camping and family-friendly caravan parks to 5-star luxury getaways – our river regions have it all.”
General Manager for Destination Riverland says that it is great to see the spotlight shining on the Riverland.
“Our tourism businesses have been through a very challenging summer, so these travel vouchers and the supporting campaign is a huge positive step forward for recovery. It gives us all hope that things are starting to happen again in the Riverland and we can’t wait to see the region buzzing once again.
“Riverlanders are passionate, resilient people and they are ready to welcome you and show off what they have to offer. With great people, a diverse range of experiences and accommodation to choose from, we encourage you to make the Riverland your holiday destination of choice in 2023 and beyond!”
Registrations for the ballot open on today (27 March) 9am, and close on 29 March 10pm. The travel period is from Friday 31 March 2023 to Tuesday 29 June 2023 (inclusive), bookable seven days a week including Saturdays, Easter and the April school holidays.
To get your hands on the vouchers, click here.
More News
