Government announces new £10m grant fund for tourism businesses in England
Posted: Fri 3rd Jul 2020
English tourism businesses will be able to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 via a new government fund.
Simon Clarke, minister for regional growth, announced the Kick-starting Tourism Package at the Local Government Association's annual conference.
Small businesses in tourist destinations can access grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to adapt their businesses to deal with the impact of coronavirus.
The funding can be spent on areas such as paying for specialist professional business advice, adopting new technology and purchasing new equipment.
"When the prime minister announced the New Deal, he made it clear that the government is determined to change the country for the better, uniting and levelling up our regions," Clark said.
"Kick-starting domestic tourism will be key to our economic recovery and that is why I am delighted to announce £10m in new funding for small businesses in tourist destinations, bringing jobs, investment, and financial support to the communities who need it the most."
Funding will be allocated to Local Growth Hubs based on how much of local employment is linked to tourism and hospitality businesses. This means that coastal and rural areas - with a bigger proportion of their economy focused on tourism and hospitality, will get a larger share of the funds.