The National Capital Attractions Association (NCAA) have made the difficult decision to call off the 2020 Canberra Region Tourism Awards, for the first time in over 30 years.
However, it hasn’t stopped the NCAA continue to support the struggling industry in the meantime.
NCAA general manager, Debra Beetham, said the association had been focusing on creating a range of support resources for its members, while looking forward to the 2021 event.
“We have been pivoting our business and other areas and supporting the industry through this time,” she said.
“We don’t want this to just be a gap for a year, so we are going to be on the front foot of moving into the future.”
The NCAA launched a new-look website today, which will include tourism industry updates, helpful blog posts and run webinars for its members.
They have also created two modules for businesses, which focus on recovery and cleaning practices during COVID-19.
“The modules ask specific questions about your business and what criteria you need to meet to look into your business going forward and how it will come out the other side of this,” she said.
“We have been really proactive in that space and supporting all of our sponsors and members.”
While some COVID-19 restrictions eased earlier this week for the hospitality and tourism industries, there are still restrictions on domestic and international travel.
Ms Beetham said this may not affect Canberra as much as other Australian capital cities.
“The international travel market in Canberra is quite low anyway, we are focusing more on our domestic market,” she said.
“It will be more about the restrictions stopping businesses running as normal than the actual travel.
“In saying that, the domestic travel market will be highly competitive once it opens back up again which is looking to be quite soon.”
The Australian Tourism Industry Council also decided to cancel the national 2020 Australia Tourism Awards in May this year.
Both organisations are planning to hold the events again from 2021.
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