To our outgoing board members, Ken Stronach, Tim Short and Mayor Bec Enders, we couldn't be more grateful for their commitment and contribution to DST during their terms. Thank you all for your work, wisdom and support.
The 2020/21 DST Annual Report is available for some light bedtime reading. You can download it HERE.
Maintaining a 5-Star Workforce
Are you grappling with workforce management at the moment? Wondering how to hold on to your staff for when visitors return?
Or perhaps you're starting a new business and finding it hard to recruit the skills you need?
Destination Southern Tasmania is working with the Local Jobs Program to provide you with practical advice on how to get the people you need and how to keep the great ones you’ve got.
Join us on 13 October from 3:00pm for a workshop about recruiting in challenging times, followed by a panel discussion about ways to engage and retain your existing workforce.
SESSION 1: Recruitment Hints and Tips (3:00pm – 4:00pm) Presented by Stacey Joseph – Hobart and Southern Tasmanian Employment Facilitator
This is a workshop covering recruitment strategies and providing an overview of the range of services and organisations who are able to assist with recruitment of your next staff member, all at no cost to your business.
SESSION 2: Maintaining a Five Star Workforce (4.15pm – 5.15pm)
Panel discussion
With the continuing uncertainty of state border closures and no end in sight to international border closures, it is harder than ever to retain great employees. Hosted by Alex Heroys, CEO, Destination Southern Tasmania, this session looks at ways to engage and retain your workforce in a changeable and challenging time.
The panel:
Stuart Hollingsworth
Director,
Jobs Tasmania
Katrina Williams Co-owner, Wattlebanks Catering and Wattlebanks Cafe (Richmond & Orford)
Sam JohnsonPeople and Culture Manager,
Vantage Hotel Group
Stacey JosephEmployment Facilitator, Local Jobs Program – Southern Tasmania Region
You can attend one session, or both, as well as stick around for a drink and a nibble at the end of the day. Registration and more details are HERE.
RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES
COVID-19 Small Business Advice and Financial Guidance Program
This program aims to provide eligible small businesses with access to specialist financial and other business advice services to assist businesses to recover, transition, grow or apply other strategies to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eligible applicants will receive a grant of between $750 to $1 500 to obtain financial or other business guidance.
For more details, including the types of businesses services eligible under this grant, jump onto the Business Tasmania website. You'll also find information on all the free services and programs available to assist businesses in recovery, as well as the following relief packages:
Austrade’s Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program helps Australian businesses grow their exports in international markets. These grants encourage small to medium enterprises to market and promote their goods and services globally.
The new EMDG Export Grant extends the opportunity to tourism businesses marketing overseas to get promotional/marketing costs 50% reimbursed. Eligible tourism services include: accommodation/hotel, tours, restaurants, museums, art galleries, convention centres, and more. For those businesses planning their international marketing strategy, this is definitely worth investigating.
When to apply: Closes November 30.
How to apply: Click HERE for guidelines and details.
Benefit: For business already targeting international markets, a maximum of $240-450K in total for FY22-FY24. For new tourism exporters, a maximum of $80K across FY22 and FY23.
City of Hobart Grants Program
Event Grant (up to $20,000) Supports the planning and delivery of small to medium events in the Hobart local government area.
Heritage Grant (up to $10,000) - closes 18 October The heritage grant is available to fund future heritage projects with priority given to physical conservation works to heritage-listed places. This grant is offered once every two years.
Tasmanian Employer Bonus Fund
The Tasmanian Employer Bonus Fund provides eligible employers with funding of up to $6 500 over six months to meet various costs associated with taking on new, eligible employees.
The Program Guidelines outline the eligibility requirements of both the employer (the Applicant) and new employees, the grant application process and obligations.
Jobs Tasmania administers the Fund, and as the Fund is limited to $6.5 million, the program will be continually monitored to manage the program budget.
For more information and to apply, please click HERE.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Congratulations to the finalists
We're super proud of the southern finalists for this year's tourism awards. A huge congratulations to the following DST members:
The Awards Gala is on Friday, 5 November, and you can purchase your tickets HERE.
Our Carbon Neutral Future
The Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania is conducting important research to inform a plan to achieve the T21 priority to become one of the world's very first carbon neutral visitor destinations by 2025. Lead by esteemed economists Saul Eslake and David Schwartz this part of the research is designed to help us understand the costs and benefits of establishing Tasmania as carbon neutral destination.
Please support this important work Business of all types and sizes are encouraged to complete the survey. It will take approximately five minutes to complete.
The Port Arthur Historic Site has launched a new campaign: 'Tasman Unlocked'; inviting Tasmanians to stay longer and do more by 'unlocking' offers from attractions, accommodation and activities around the Tasman Peninsula.
More than twenty businesses from around the region are backing the campaign with special offers, deals and packages available on dedicated campaign website:www.tasmanunlocked.com.au.
This a fantastic cooperative initiative from Port Arthur to support the Tasman region as a whole, and sustain visitation until borders re-open.
Hobart and Beyond
We've been busy on the blogs lately, providing some lovely Springtime and school holiday inspiration for our audience, including:
