Regional tourism businesses have been boosted by employment-related initiatives from both the state and federal governments.

A Victorian program to upskill the tourist industry has been helped with an injection of funding, while the Albanese government has launched a new online tourism employment platform.

The Regional Tourism Network Industry Strengthening Program is designed to support visitor economy partnerships to deliver training and support for regional tourism businesses.

Minister for tourism, sport, and major events Steve Dimopoulos announced the additional funding on Monday, 28 July.

Under the program, applicants will be eligible to receive up to $100,000 each in additional funding, ensuring regional tourism businesses continue to benefit from tailored training programs that will give them the skills to grow their enterprise and improve visitor experiences, with almost 1000 of the state’s tourism businesses having already benefited from the scheme.

The program offers training and support in areas that include accessibility, sustainability, revenue management, and artificial intelligence.

Tourism contributes $40 billion to Victoria’s economy, and data from Tourism Research Australia showed that last year 56.8 million visitor trips to and within regional Victoria injected $16 billion into local economies.

Minister for tourism, sport, and major events Steve Dimopoulos said the government was ensuring that the state’s visitor economy would continue to thrive.

“We’re backing local experts to deliver targeted support for local tourism operators and support the continued growth of Victoria’s world-class tourism offerings,” Mr Dimopoulos said.

“We continue investing in our tourism sector to give visitors unique experiences across the state and to ensure regional Victoria’s visitor economy continues to thrive.”

Meanwhile, the Albanese government has helped the industry with the launch of ‘eeger’, a dedicated online tourism careers hub for attracting, retaining, and training workers in the sector.

The tourism workforce is expected to grow from 706,000 to 850,000 by 2033, supporting 360,000 businesses.

The federal government last week granted $10m to launch the eeger platform.

Minister for trade and tourism Don Farrell said the hub would help rebuild and future-proof Australia’s tourism sector.

“The launch of eeger marks a pivotal moment for the industry, offering a national perspective for tourism, travel, and hospitality job seekers to find the right opportunities and for employers to access the skilled workforce they need,” Mr Farrell said.

“My first job was in tourism, and I know firsthand how magnificent this industry is to be a part of.

“I encourage businesses and jobseekers to sign up and make the most of this innovative platform and join this vibrant and important sector.”

For more information, visit eeger.com.au