Dine and Discover NSW: what you need to know
2020 was a turbulent year for the hospitality industry. Ongoing lockdowns and government restrictions made it incredibly difficult for businesses to trade normally. As a result, the NSW Government has developed an initiative to help the struggling hospitality sector and entertainment industry in a bid to boost business.
The Dine & Discover scheme has been introduced in NSW to support dining, arts and tourism businesses that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19, encouraging the community to get out and about.
Customers and business will be invited to participate in the trial, which will start in The Rocks and expand to the Sydney CBD and Broken Hill. More than 50 COVID-safe registered businesses have been invited to take part in the pilot.
How does the scheme work?
Every NSW resident aged 18 and over will be eligible for four $25 vouchers worth $100 in total. The vouchers can be used at participating NSW businesses who are registered as COVID Safe.
The Dine & Discover NSW vouchers will be divided into two categories and residents will receive two $25 vouchers per category.
This includes:
- two $25 vouchers to be used for eating in at restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs from Monday to Thursday (excluding public holidays)
- two $25 vouchers to be used for entertainment and recreation, including cultural institutions, live music, and arts venues, available 7 days a week (excluding public holidays).
To access the vouchers, residents need to have a Service NSW account which can be accessed via the app or website.
Information for Businesses
The scheme has been welcomed by many businesses who have been struggling with the restrictions and lockdowns caused by the pandemic. The vouchers are a way of encouraging residents to get out and about in their local community and spend money at the available local businesses.
To be eligible to participate in the scheme, businesses must:
- have an active ABN and be registered for GST
- operate in NSW
- be registered as COVID Safe and have a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place
- operate in one of these eligible industries. See breakdown here
Registration for the Dine and Discover scheme is set to open in 2021, however businesses can provide an expression of interest now. This will ensure Service NSW has your contact information and can reach out to you about Dine and Discover NSW and keep you updated on the progress of the schemes availability to your area.