Tourism businesses to benefit from $1m energy funding

The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus QC MP, recently announced the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has been awarded $612,040 and the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) has been awarded $423,690 under the government's $40 million 'Energy Efficiency Information Grants' program.

ATEC will partner with EC3 Global - a tourism and environmental management advisory group - to provide information to thousands of tourism businesses through workshops and webinars. A carbon 'health check' reporting program will help to empower businesses to reduce their energy costs.

AHA will provide tailored information for pubs and accommodation businesses to help them reduce costs and increase their energy efficiency. The AHA will develop industry-specific fact sheets and case studies on how to undertake cost saving measures.

"Small and medium sized business form the backbone of Australia's tourism industry. These grants will provide practical information to help tourism operators become more energy efficient and get the benefit of reduce energy costs," Minister Ferguson said.

Launching 28 projects funded under the Energy Efficiency Information Grants program, Dreyfus said the grants will enable small business and community groups to realise gains in productivity and competitiveness from becoming more energy efficient.  

"Tourism operators often don't have the time, resources or information to find out how to save money by improving energy efficiency and these grants will provide practical, tailored information to help their bottom line," Dreyfus said.

"There are many ways tourism businesses can save money on energy bills. With help from the government's Solar Cities program, one of the largest hotels in Alice Springs, the Crowne Plaza, has already reduced their energy consumption by around 20 per cent by making smarter energy choices with their lighting, heating and cooling systems."  

These programs are on top of the $6,500 instant asset write-off for new business assets, which can be used to purchase energy saving equipment, available to small businesses from July 1, 2012.

28 projects from over 200 applications were funded in the first round of the program; a second round will open in October.