tourism grants wales 2022

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£10m Welsh Tourism Improvement Fund Opens to Applications

Welsh Government has launched a new £10 million fund to support public, third sector and not for profit organisations to deliver basic small scale tourism infrastructure improvements.

The Brilliant Basics Fund will ensure that all visitors to Wales have a positive and memorable experience throughout their stay.

This fund builds upon the previous rounds of funding via the Tourism Amenity Investment Support scheme (TAIS), which was launched in 2017.

Under the previous TAIS funding rounds, only rural wards in Wales were eligible under the RDP rules. Now, with the addition of non-EU funding, the scheme is being extended to those areas outside of the rural wards as part of the new Brilliant Basics Fund.

Public, third sector and not for profit organisations in Wales are eligible to apply.

A total of up to £10m has been made available for 2020 to 2025.

Support of between £25,000 and £128,000 is available for projects with a total eligible expenditure of £160,000, with a maximum intervention rate of 80%. 

The deadline for expression of interest forms is 28 February 2020.

More information about this funding opportunity and the application process is available on the GRANTfinder funding information platform. GRANTfinder provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on funding news and policy. To find out more about how GRANTfinder can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.

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TOURISM PARTNERS:

Wales Tourism Investment Fund (WTIF)

The Welsh Government, in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales , has launched a new £50m fund, Wales Tourism Investment Fund (WTIF) which brings together both commercial and grant funding into one combined package of financial support to provide capital investment for the sector.    

Fund objectives  

In order to maintain and develop Wales’ position in the hugely competitive global tourism market, we need to continue to invest in our tourism product. The key objective of the Fund will be to help finance capital investment in tourism projects which have the opportunity to create positive impact on growing the sector and the Welsh economy.  

Purpose of fund  

• To provide continued access to finance for tourism projects in Wales  
• To support the transition of the tourism sector from grant reliance to commercial loan serviceability  
• Allow public funding to be mobilised in an area that can create significant impact on the economy  
• To be able to support potentially substantial strategic investments as required.  

What will it fund?  

• The new fund will provide patient capital to tourism businesses of between £100,000 and £5,000,000 for qualifying projects  
• Repayment term is between 10-15 years, and can include seasonality payment breaks  
• It will provide increased flexibility of funding  
• Funding will be made available from the outset of a project and tranched through the development phase  
• Commercial loan and qualifying grant payments will be blended in order to reduce the overall cost of the finance.  

Who is eligible?  

The fund comprises a mix of repayable and non-repayable finance, targeting eligible capital investment projects in the tourism sector in Wales. It can be used either to upgrade existing, or create new, high quality assets in the tourism sector.  

In order to be considered for support from the Wales Tourism Investment Fund an applicant will need to:  

• Commit to supporting the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All strategy and demonstrate a commitment to the four requirements of the Economic Contract  
• Be based in Wales and demonstrate how the project will stimulate growth in new and existing markets and create and/or safeguard jobs  
• Demonstrate financial viability and repayment over the term of the funding package.  

Next Steps  

The fund includes a two stage application process. The first stage includes an Expression of Interest form and if successful at this stage, the business will then be invited to make a full application.  Frequently Asked Questions  are also available.    

If you are interested in receiving more information on the WTIF, please email  [email protected]  or call 0845 010 8020.  

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Coronavirus: Business support 2022

Businesses and workers have faced considerable impacts since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and the Welsh and UK governments have developed a range of measures to assist them.

This article outlines the support currently available for businesses from the Welsh and UK governments.

Welsh Government support

The Welsh Government has announced that it will continue to provide 100% business rate relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses with rateable values up to £500,000 for the whole of 2021-22.It will also provide leisure and hospitality businesses with a rateable value of over £500,000 with 100% relief.

The Welsh Government has published guidance on how the relief operate, and this states that local authorities will operate the scheme and have discretion around how they maximise take-up and minimise the administrative burden for businesses.

Grants for businesses who pay business rates

These grants will provide support to eligible businesses in the hospitality, retail, tourism and leisure sectors and their supply chains who pay business rates.  The following grants are available:

• £2,000 for businesses with a rateable value of up to £12,000 who have seen a 40% decrease in turnover between 13 December 2021 and 13 February 2022 compared to the same period in 2019/20. Businesses may only receive this grant for two properties per local authority.
• £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000 who have seen a 40% decrease in turnover between 13 December 2021 and 13 February 2022 compared to the same period in 2019-20.
• £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value of between £51,001 and £500,000 who have seen a 40% decrease in turnover between 13 December 2021 and 13 February 2022 compared to the same period in 2019-20.

Eligible businesses can register for this funding through their local authority to confirm their details, they do not need to complete an application process. Business Wales has published links to the registration process in all local authorities, and this will remain open until 14 February.

Discretionary Emergency Business Fund

This will provide support to businesses in the hospitality, retail, tourism and leisure sectors and their supply chains who are not eligible for the business rates-linked grants. It will provide the following support:

• Sole traders, freelancers and taxi drivers will be able to apply for a £1,000 grant if they have seen a reduction of at least 40% in turnover in December 2021 and January 2022 compared to the same period in 2019-20. Freelancers in the creative sectors will also be eligible for this funding.
• Businesses that employ staff in addition to the owner will be able to apply for a £2,000 grant if they have seen a reduction of at least 40% in turnover in December 2021 and January 2022 compared to the same period in 2019-20.

Further information is available in guidance published by the Welsh Government. All local authorities will have opened this fund for applications by close of play on 21 January, and the fund will be open for applications for two weeks after opening in each local authority. Business Wales has published a list of links to the application process for each local authority.

ERF Business Grant

This element of the funding is targeted at businesses in the hospitality, leisure and attraction sectors and their supply chains who have been materially impacted by a greater than 50% reduction of turnover between 13th December 2021 and 14th February 2022. The following support will be provided to eligible businesses:

• Businesses legally required to close will be eligible for grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 depending on how many staff they employ.
• Event spaces and attractions that are open but experiencing reduced turnover will be eligible for grants of between £3,500 and £20,000 depending on how many staff they employ.
• Other businesses within the eligible sectors that are open but experiencing reduced turnover will be eligible for grants of between £2,500 and £15,000 depending on how many staff they employ.

The grant is open for applications until 4pm on 1 February. Businesses should complete the eligibility checker on the Business Wales website, and if they meet the criteria they can apply after completing it. The Welsh Government has also published guidance and Frequently Asked Questions .

The Welsh Government is providing 100% business rate relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses with rateable values up to £500,000 for the whole of 2021-22. It is also providing leisure and hospitality businesses with a rateable value of over £500,000 with 100% relief during 2021-22.

The Welsh Government has published guidance on how the relief operates during 2021-22, and this states that local authorities will operate the scheme and have discretion around how they maximise take-up and minimise the administrative burden for businesses.

In 2022-23 , businesses in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors will receive 50% business rate relief up to a maximum of £110,000 relief per business.  Further details around eligibility criteria will be published on the Business Wales website.

The Barriers to Start Up Grant aims to enable economically inactive, unemployed individuals and young people not in education, employment or training to start their own business. It will provide grants of up to £1,000 to help individuals overcome barriers to starting a business, with priority given to supporting those furthest away from the labour market. The grant is part of a package of support including one-to-one advice and webinars to build confidence in business practices and develop plans for starting a business.

The Welsh Government welcomes applications from people with a work-limiting health condition or disability; people from ethnic minority communities; women; young people aged 18-24 who are not in education, employment or training; and recent college or university leavers who are contracted to work less than 20 hours per week.

The grant is open until 31 March 2022, and applicants will need to download and complete an Expression of Interest from the Business Wales website before returning it to [email protected] .

The Welsh Government has announced that commercial tenants who cannot pay their rent will be protected from eviction until 25 March 2022 . While commercial tenants will still be liable for the rent, the measures introduced will mean no business will automatically forfeit their lease and be forced out of their premises if they miss a payment up until 25 March 2022.

The Welsh Government has launched a number of incentives to support employers to recruit apprentices. These apply from 1 August 2020 until 28 February 2022, and include:

• £4,000 for each new apprentice aged under 25 recruited, where the employment contract is for at least 30 hours per week;
• £2,000 for each new apprentice aged under 25 recruited, where the employment contract is for less than 30 hours per week;
• £2,000 for each new apprentice aged 25 and over recruited, where the employment contract is for at least 30 hours per week; and
• £1,000 for each new apprentice aged 25 and over recruited, where the employment contract is for less than 30 hours per week

These incentives apply to apprenticeships delivered at levels 2-5, and payments will be limited to a maximum of 10 apprentices per employer.

The apprentice must continue to follow the same Apprenticeship Framework Pathway, and the incentives apply to apprenticeships delivered at levels 2-5.

In addition to these payments, businesses who employ a disabled person as an apprentice can claim an extra £1,500 for each new apprentice recruited. These payments apply to apprentices of all ages, and are in addition to all of the incentives for apprentices aged 16-24 and 25+. These incentives also apply to apprenticeships delivered at Levels 2-5.

The Welsh Government has also launched an Apprenticeship Vacancy Service , where employers can advertise any future apprenticeship opportunities.

The Welsh Government is piloting the Town Centre Entrepreneurship Fund in Bangor, Colwyn Bay, Rhyl and Wrexham to support entrepreneurs and businesses who are looking to start and grow a business. New businesses and micro-businesses who have been trading for less than two years may be eligible for this funding.

There are two elements of support available, grants and loans:

• Grants of between £2,500 and £10,000 are available through Business Wales to support entrepreneurs and businesses with revenue costs associated with starting up or relocating to a town centre. Businesses need to submit an expression of interest form by 20 June 2022. Business Wales has published details of eligibility criteria and guidance notes on the fund.
• The Development Bank of Wales is providing start-up loans of between £1,000 and £50,000 . These can be used as match funding for the grant outlined above. Repayment terms are between one and ten years, and if a grant is required then a business must apply to Business Wales before getting in touch with the Development Bank of Wales.

UK Government support

The Recovery Loan Scheme was introduced from 6 April 2021, and will run until 30 June 2022, It replaced Bounce Back Loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme, and the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loans Scheme.

From 1 January 2022, the Recovery Loan Scheme provides loans of up to £2 million for small and medium-sized businesses with an annual turnover of £45 million or less, and will guarantee 70% of the finance to the lender. Two types of finance are available:

• Term loans and overdrafts of between £25,001 and £2 million per business are available. Overdrafts are available for up to 3 years, while term loans are available for up to 6 years.
• Invoice finance and asset finance of between £1,000 and £2 million per business are available. Invoice finance is available for up to 3 years, while asset finance is available for up to 6 years.

No personal guarantees are taken on facilities up to £250,000, and a borrower’s principal private residence cannot be taken as security.

UK-based businesses that have received support under the existing COVID-19 guaranteed loan schemes are eligible to access finance under this scheme, if they meet all other eligibility criteria. Firms need to show that their business has been impacted by the pandemic, is viable or would be viable were it not for the pandemic, and is not in collective insolvency proceedings.

Further information and a list of accredited lenders are available on the British Business Bank’s website.

From mid-January, the UK Government will reopen its scheme under which SMEs can reclaim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) paid for sickness absence due to coronavirus.  Further guidance will be published by the UK Government.

Other support

• The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 temporarily suspends parts of insolvency law through introducing a moratorium of 20 business days for business directors to consider rescue options through filing for or applying to court for a moratorium. The moratorium can be extended for a further 20 business days without creditor consent, or for a longer period with creditor consent, by filing relevant statements with the court. The UK Government’s guidance sets out more details.
• The UK Government has put a 12.5% rate of VAT in place for tourism and hospitality until 31 March 2022, following the end of the temporary 5% rate at the end of September 2021. The UK Government has published general guidance on how the temporary reduction will operate, as well as more detailed documents covering hospitality , holiday accommodation and attractions .
• The Chancellor gave businesses which deferred VAT due in March to June 2020 the option to spread their payments over the financial year 2021-2022.
• The UK Government has given the self-employed and other taxpayers with income tax liabilities of up to £30,000 the option of using HM Revenue and Customs’ Time to Pay facility to agree a plan to pay taxes due in January 2021 over an additional 12 months. This service can be used within 60 days of the payment deadline.
• Businesses who are concerned they may not be able to pay their next tax bill may be eligible to receive support via HM Revenue and Customs’ Time to Pay helpline 0800 024 1222. Arrangements are agreed on a case-by-case basis depending on individual circumstances.

Article by Gareth Thomas , Senedd Research, Welsh Parliament

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Help for Wales’ countryside following boost in tourism

Cymorth i gefn gwlad cymru yn dilyn hwb i dwristiaeth.

Climate Change Minister Julie James has today (Wednesday, May 25) announced £26m to limit the carbon footprint of tourism in Wales, boost biodiversity and improve access to the countryside so all can enjoy its beauty.

The Minister made the announcement as she opened an electric vehicle (EV) network in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park – it is believed to be the most extensive network in any UK national park with 74 charging points.

The Minister explained that the funding would be used to help make tourism more sustainable and Wales’ countryside more resilient following the growth of staycations during the pandemic. 

Some of the ways in which it will be used include:

• making improvements to transport and tourism facilities, particularly around visitor hotspots
• improving footpath networks with a particular focus on disability access
• funding projects that will improve Wales’ National Parks so they can better store carbon and provide better protection for wildlife

The Minister said:

“As more people are discovering the magic of the Welsh countryside, we must make sure it can deal with the pressures. “Our vision is of a countryside where communities can continue to work and flourish, where visitors can enjoy whilst leaving only footprints behind, and where plants and wildlife can make a real comeback. “Nature is providing us with the tools to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, whilst still having the power to make us all feel better within ourselves when we connect to it- it’s only right we do what we can to look after it.”

National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty cover 25% of Wales and play a big part in enabling people from all backgrounds to access the countryside safely.

Home to peatlands, farmlands and endangered species, effective management of the countryside is seen as invaluable in tackling the climate and nature emergencies.

During her visit to west Wales, the Minister also met with a disability access scheme on Saundersfoot beach, which provides specially designed wheelchairs so users can navigate the sandy terrain with ease.

She also met a local walking group who say their social meetups to explore their area has improved their mental health.

The Minister added:

“Investment in access to the great outdoors is a flagship policy for the Welsh Government for the multiple benefits it provides. “Beyond the economic opportunities of tourism, connecting with nature has been scientifically proven to improve both mental and physical health. “Pioneering projects such as the Wales Coast Path enables walkers to trek its entire 1400km coastline, whilst plans are well underway to create a National Forest for Wales that stretches from the north to the south of the country.”

Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park added:

“This funding has helped us make more electric vehicle charging points available across our National Park, moving us further towards our goal of becoming a net zero National Park. “In turn, this will enable more residents, visitors and businesses to reduce their carbon footprints and support the Authority’s on-going campaign, which urges people to ‘tread lightly’ during their trip to the Pembrokeshire Coast.”

Notes to editors

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - A Wonder Filled Coast

Conservation - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Beach Wheelchairs and All-Terrain Equipment - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Welsh Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty | Visit Wales

Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places is a Welsh Government capital fund for improving access to the countryside and supporting more sustainable and resilient landscapes and communities. Funding is in several separate streams.

Around half will be provided to National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which cover 25% of Wales’s land area and are crucial for wildlife, tourism as well as local communities. It has been trialled in 2020-22 with over 90 different projects funded.

In 2022-25 the themes are Biodiversity and nature recovery, Decarbonisation, Resilient and Green local communities and more sustainable tourism

Over £3m a year will also be invested in maintaining and improving our walking trails – from the Wales Coast path to local footpaths that provide local communities with free walking routes on their doorsteps.

The total allocations will be as follows:

Financial Support and Grants

Development Bank of Wales – The Welsh Government and the Development Bank of Wales have announced the £100m Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme to support businesses affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. The Scheme will be available from the Development Bank of Wales for a limited period. It is intended to provide support to businesses who are experiencing cashflow difficulties as a result of the pandemic.

The loan scheme will work alongside the UK wide Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, other Welsh Government and UK Government support offers, providing more vital options for Welsh businesses. Loans of between £5,000 and £250,000 are available to businesses who have been trading longer than 2 years and can demonstrate that they were able to service that level of debt before the outbreak.

Fund Details: • £100m fund • Loans between £5,000 to £250,000, maximum loan levels apply • 12 month capital and interest repayment holiday • No arrangement or monitoring fees • 2% interest fixed for 6 years (includes the 12 month holiday)

Details of the fund, eligibility and application process can be found on the Development Bank of Wales’s website https://developmentbank.wales/

Economic Resilience Fund – Businesses can also benefit from a £400 million emergency pot providing:

• Grants of £10,000 for micro-businesses employing up to nine people. This includes sole traders employing staff. Qualifying businesses will be able to apply by mid-April. • Grants of up to £100,000 for small and medium sized firms with between 10 and 249 employees. Qualifying businesses will be able to apply from next week. • Support for larger Welsh companies, which are of critical social or economic importance to Wales. This element will be open to qualifying businesses within the next two weeks.

Details of the application process and eligibility are being finalised and will be published shortly.

https://businesswales.gov.wales/financial-support-and-grants

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