Regional Travel Voucher Scheme FAQs

What is the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme?

We want Victorians to get out and explore our wonderful state, whether that’s a romantic weekend away or a family holiday, and in the process give our tourism businesses and workers a boost.

The $28-million Regional Travel Voucher Scheme will give Victorians an incentive to explore their state, by providing vouchers to Victorian residents to contribute to the costs of accommodation, tourism attractions or tours undertaken in regional Victoria, the Yarra and Dandenong Ranges, the Mornington Peninsula and the Victorian alpine ski resorts.

Who is eligible to apply for the vouchers?

Victorian residents over the age of 18 are eligible to apply. Each household is limited to one voucher each.

Each voucher gives the voucher holder the right to claim for a reimbursement of $200 if they have spent at least $400 on accommodation, a tourism attraction or tour in regional Victoria, including the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges, Mornington Peninsula and the Victorian alpine ski resorts. Even if the applicant spends more than $400 on tourism in regional Victoria, they are only entitled to a $200 reimbursement.

When will the voucher scheme open?

The first round of vouchers was released on 11 December and 14 December 2020.

Round 2 registrations will open at 10am Wednesday 20 January 2021 via the button on the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme page.

Over what period of time can travel take place? 

The key dates for this scheme are as follows:

How does Victoria’s scheme compare to those in other states?

The $28-million Regional Travel Voucher Scheme is the largest travel voucher scheme in Australia.

Similar but smaller programs have been running in South Australia ($5 million), Tasmania ($12.5 million) and Northern Territory ($16.2 million).

How many Regional Travel Vouchers will be available?

150,000 vouchers will be made available. The vouchers will be released in 3 rounds and will be available on a first-come-first-served basis. Any unused vouchers will be reissued in subsequent rounds.

How will the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme work?

Registration and redemption of vouchers will be a simple process:

• Applicants register for a voucher online.
• Applicants will receive an email within 24 hours confirming their registration has been successful for that round.
• Applicants' eligibility is confirmed within seven business days by email.
• Voucher recipients take their trip to regional Victoria during the eligible travel period
• Following their trip, voucher recipients will be able to redeem their voucher by providing invoices and receipts as evidence of eligible expenditure of $400 or more
• Upon confirmation of eligible expenditure, voucher funds of $200 are transferred to the recipient’s nominated Australian bank account.
• All payments remain subject to final eligibility checks.

How the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme works

Where can the Regional Travel Vouchers be spent?

The vouchers can be spent in the 11 regional tourism regions in Victoria which comprises the 48 Regional and Rural Council areas, plus the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Frankston City Council, Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Cardinia Shire Council, Victoria’s six Alpine Resorts, French Island, Lady Julia Percy Island and Gabo Island. See below for a full list of eligible municipalities.

What can the vouchers be spent on?

To be eligible for redemption, the following criteria must be met:

• Recipients must stay a minimum of 2 consecutive nights in regional Victoria in paid accommodation.
• Travel must be undertaken within the 48 regional and rural local government areas, including Mornington Peninsula, Dandenong Ranges, Yarra Valley and Victorian alpine ski resorts (see below for a list of eligible locations).
• Expenditure of more than $400 must be incurred on one or more of the following:
  • Paid accommodation – which means serviced apartments, backpackers and hostels, bed and breakfasts, cabins or caravans in holiday parks, caravan and camping site fees, cottages, farm stays, private holiday rentals, houseboats, motels, hotels, resorts, retreats and lodges; or
  • Tours - which means tour operators that offer regularly organised tours with a leisure-tourism focus, organised by experienced guides. These may include a personal host and/or commentary. For example, a boat cruise, guided walk, bus tour, air tour, agri-tourism, food and wine tour, sport tour, outdoor and adventure tour; or
  • Entry fees – which means places/areas of interest that offer a distinct visitor experience to the leisure tourist such as museums, water parks, local attractions, theme parks.

What can’t vouchers be used for?

Vouchers cannot be used on items such as:

• Gaming
• Alcohol (except if alcohol is included in wine/brewery/distillery tasting type tour but excludes any alcohol purchased and consumed outside of the experience)
• Fuel
• Food and drinks except where packaged with a bookable tourism product
• Groceries
• Personal items such as clothing and accessories
• Transport costs (rental vehicles, train and bus tickets).

Can I use the voucher for an existing booking?

Yes.

Can I stay in unpaid accommodation i.e. a holiday house?

No, you must stay in paid accommodation for your holiday. This scheme is designed to provide a boost to regional tourism businesses including accommodation providers; you still must spend at least $400 on accommodation, tours or entry fees to tourism attractions.

How much are the Regional Travel Vouchers worth?

The vouchers are worth $200 each and recipients must spend a minimum of $400 on eligible expenses.

What happens if I spend less than $400? Can I claim 50% of what I spend?

No. The vouchers are fixed at $200, and you must spend a minimum of $400 on eligible expenses.

How many vouchers can individuals get? Is there a limit?

Vouchers are available strictly one per household across all rounds of the scheme. Vouchers are not transferable.

When will the regional travel vouchers be valid for travel?

The vouchers will be valid during the travel period as set out in the table below. Vouchers will have a specific expiry dates based on the round of issue.

After that time that the voucher will become void and will not be able to be redeemed.

I got a voucher in Round 1. Can I use it Round 2 or Round 3?

No. Vouchers are only eligible for use in the eligible travel period for the round of allocation.

How do I claim my $200 travel voucher reimbursement?

You will receive an email after your proposed travel period to enable you to make your claim.

Using the link in this email, you can upload the evidence of eligible expenditure from your trip. Note that you will need to provide tax invoices and/or receipts for a value of at least $400.

The last day you can redeem your travel Voucher claim is:

• Round 1: 5 February 2021
• Round 2: 15 April 2021
• Round 3: 14 June 2021

When can I expect payment after redeeming my voucher?

We are aiming to process payments on a weekly basis following the claim period opening, as follows:

• Round 1: Between 11 January 2021 and 12 February 2021
• Round 2: Between 18 March 2021 and 22 April 2021
• Round 3: Between 17 May 2021 and 21 June 2021

These dates are approximate only.

Where will payments be made?

Payments of $200 will be made into your nominated Australian bank account.

We cannot make payments by cash or cheque.

We will endeavour to make payments within 10 business days of your claim being received.

What happens if I am unsuccessful in Round 1? Can I apply in future rounds?

Yes. You can apply in future rounds.

Why did I miss out on a travel voucher?

There is a limited number of vouchers available. The scheme works on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis.

Can I give my voucher to someone else to use?

No. Vouchers are non-transferable and only the person receiving the voucher can submit a claim for reimbursement. However, you can share your travel experiences with friends and family.

I‘ve lost my travel receipts. Can I still redeem my voucher and claim my $200 reimbursement?

To redeem your voucher, you will need to provide evidence of eligible expenditure from your trip. This means you will need to provide tax invoices and receipts for a value of at least $400.

For the avoidance of doubt, reservations, deposits or booking advice, is not considered acceptable evidence.

Does the travel period include the night of the last day listed in the eligible travel period?

No. The eligible travel period ends at 11.59pm on:

• 22 January 2021 (Round 1)
• 1 April 2021 (Round 2)
• 31 May 2021 (Round 3)

I submitted a registration and have received an SMS or an email, but not both. What should I do? Have I received a travel voucher?

You may not have received both an email or a SMS for several reasons. This may include:

• Your email address provided may be incorrect.
• The email may be in your spam folder. We suggest that you check your spam folder and add travelvouchers@ecodev.vic.gov.au to your preferred folder.
• Your mobile number provided may be incorrect.

If you have received either a SMS or email acknowledging your registration, then your registration has been received.

Does the 2 nights' accommodation have to be continuous?

Yes. Your 2 nights' accommodation is required to be continuous.

Can I spend my voucher on 2 separate accommodation and activity charges in 2 separate LGAs?

Yes, as long as the 2 paid nights' accommodation are in the approved regional local government areas and relevant receipts are provided, you can spend money across multiple locations.

If a travel accommodation invoice is in 3 people’s names, who are from separate households, can each of them separately claim the same invoice (eg a $1200 holiday rental invoice)?

Yes.  If a service or expense has been provided to separate households, and that invoice cannot be split, then each household may claim their share of the invoice. This assumes that each household has received a travel voucher.

What happens if I cannot go on my trip due to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions?

If you cannot travel due to restrictions imposed by the Victorian Government, you will be able to use your voucher at a later stage. 

If you decide to cancel your booking and relinquish your voucher prior to making a claim, you will be eligible to reapply for a voucher in the next round, on a first-come, first-served basis.

I submitted 2 applications, but I have only received 1 email to submit a claim.

As stated in the program guidelines, only one voucher can be claimed per household.

I am yet to receive my claim email. Why?

We are progressively sending out emails to enable you submit your claim for Round 1 commencing from 4 January 2021. These emails will be sent out by 10 January 2021. 

The email will be sent to your email address used to apply for the travel voucher. Check your spam or junk folders.

For Round 2, claim emails will be progressively sent to you from 11 March 2021.

I do not have a drivers’ licence, proof of age card or a seniors’ card. Can I still apply for a travel voucher?

Yes, you can apply. You will be contacted separately to provide another form of ID that proves you are a Victorian resident. We may choose to accept other forms of ID at our discretion.

Is visiting a winery or a day-spa considered an eligible expense?

No, these type of expenses (unless included as part of a tour package) are not included in the eligible expense categories of paid accommodation, paid tours and experiences and entry fees to regional attractions.

I received my claim email with the link to submit my claim, but I accidentally deleted this email.  What should I do?

Firstly, you should try to see if you can recover the email from your trash folder.

If this doesn’t work, you will need to wait until a second claim reminder email is sent to you.

For Round 1, this will be sent in the week commencing 25 January 2021.

Unfortunately, as these claim emails are automatically generated with unique claim forms linked to your account, we are unable to send manual emails to individual applicants.

How have you ensured the integrity of applications?

The application system has rigorous identity and evidence requirements which are regularly audited to identify potential issues.

We also cross-check names and addresses for duplication.

When issues are identified, we investigate and will not issue a voucher or make a payment unless they can be resolved to the Department’s satisfaction.

I have received a travel voucher, but I can no longer take (or wish to take) my trip. Can I relinquish my voucher? What does this mean?

Yes, you can relinquish your voucher.  If you decide to cancel your booking and relinquish your voucher prior to making a claim, you will be eligible to reapply for a voucher in the next round on a first come first served basis.

Who is administering the program?

This program is being administered by the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions on behalf of the Victorian Government.

What if I need any further assistance?

For further assistance please contact us or call the Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15.

Which regional municipalities are eligible?

The following municipalities are included in the 11 Regional Tourism regions:

1. Alpine Shire Council
2. Ararat Rural City Council
3. Ballarat City Council
4. Bass Coast Shire Council
5. Baw Baw Shire Council
6. Benalla Rural City Council
7. Buloke Shire Council
8. Campaspe Shire Council
9. Cardinia Shire Council
10. Central Goldfields Shire Council
11. Colac‐Otway Shire Council
12. Corangamite Shire Council
13. East Gippsland Shire Council
14. Falls Creek Alpine resort
15. Frankston City Council
16. French Island
17. Gabo island
18. Gannawarra Shire Council
19. Glenelg Shire Council
20. Golden Plains Shire Council
21. Greater Bendigo City Council
22. Greater Geelong City Council
23. Greater Shepparton City Council
24. Hepburn Shire Council
25. Hindmarsh Shire Council
26. Horsham Rural City Council
27. Indigo Shire Council
28. Lady Julia Percy island
29. Lake Mountain Alpine Resort
30. Latrobe City Council
31. Loddon Shire Council
32. Macedon Ranges Shire Council
33. Mansfield Shire Council
34. Mildura Rural City Council
35. Mitchell Shire Council
36. Moira Shire Council
37. Moorabool Shire Council
38. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
39. Mount Alexander Shire Council
40. Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort
41. Mount Buller Alpine Resort
42. Mount Hotham Alpine Resort
43. Mount Stirling Alpine Resort
44. Moyne Shire Council
45. Murrindindi Shire Council
46. Nillumbik Shire Council
47. Northern Grampians Shire Council
48. Pyrenees Shire Council
49. Queenscliffe Borough
50. South Gippsland Shire Council
51. Southern Grampians Shire Council
52. Strathbogie Shire Council
53. Surf Coast Shire Council
54. Swan Hill Rural City Council
55. Towong Shire Council
56. Wangaratta Rural City Council
57. Warrnambool City Council
58. Wellington Shire Council
59. West Wimmera Shire Council
60. Wodonga City Council
61. Yarra Ranges Shire Council
62. Yarriambiack Shire Council