Strategic Tourism Investment Grants (STIGs)

Date published : 26  April  2012 

As a follow up to Minister Ferguson's Indigenous Tourism Employment Roundtable NESA would like to draw your attention to an opportunity for growing Indigenous tourism arising through the Strategic Tourism Investment Grants (STIGs) program managed by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism. 

Strategic Tourism Investment Grants (STIGs) is a program offered under the T-QUAL Grants program administered by the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.  The program offers funding of up to $1 million (excl GST) to eligible nationally significant and innovative tourism projects aimed at developing Indigenous tourism, economic development and/or tourism employment.  A fact sheet containing further information on Strategic Tourism Investment Grants may be found at http://www.ret.gov.au/tourism/Documents/tqual/stig/Factsheet_STIG.pdf.

Minister Ferguson called for applications for two new STIG projects:

  • Australia's National Landscapes Project http://minister.ret.gov.au/MediaCentre/MediaReleases/Pages/EnhancingNature-TourismExperiences.aspx
    • To be delivered under two separate streams, this project will assist in positioning the Australian tourism industry within National Landscapes to build its capacity to address supply-side issues facing the industry as outlined in the Tourism 2020 Strategy by
      • enabling a number of National Landscapes to complete their Experience Development Strategies (EDS), and
      • realising opportunities within other National Landscapes that have been identified as being investment ready through an existing EDS process. 
    • RET is seeking to engage an organisation (which could represent a consortium) with skills and experience in working with a broad range of project stakeholders, including Commonwealth and State Government organisations, to develop and coordinate the delivery of these two streams.
  • Growing Indigenous Tourism http://minister.ret.gov.au/MediaCentre/MediaReleases/Pages/GrowingIndigenousTourism.aspx
    • For projects that will create an iconic Australian Indigenous tourism experience, or product, that will provide immersion in Indigenous cultural practices and experiences including stories, art, dance, song or other activities for domestic and international visitors.
    • Multiple projects of up to $1,000,000 each in grant funding will be available to the successful grantees on a matched investment basis.  The total number of projects funded will be determined following assessment of all applications.

For further information and documentation about these projects I encourage you to either   

Applications close at 5pm Wednesday 30 May 2012.


Return to the News