COVID-19 Update- 7 July – £10 million for small businesses to kickstart tourism

The Government have confirmed £10m of new funding and will accelerate the delivery of over £50m for shovel-ready infrastructure projects over the coming months to boost tourism in England. The £10 million Kick-starting Tourism Package will give small businesses in tourist destinations grants of up to £5,000 to help them adapt their businesses following the pandemic. With 100% of the money coming from the government, businesses will have no obligation to contribute financially.

The funding will be allocated to each Local Growth Hub based on how much of their employment base is linked to tourism and hospitality businesses. This means that coastal and rural areas – with a bigger proportion of their economy focused on tourism, hospitality and allied sectors, will get a larger share of the funds.

Activities supported through the £10 million grant can include:

• one-to-many events providing guidance to respond to coronavirus
• small grants (£1,000 – £5,000) to:
  • help businesses access specialist professional advice e.g. human resources, accountants, legal, financial, IT / digital
  • purchase minor equipment to adapt or adopt new technology in order to continue to deliver a business activity or diversify.

Find out more here