Everything you need to know about the Victorian Travel Voucher Scheme

HECK YES! As part of their latest attempt to supercharge the long-suffering tourism industry, the Victorian government launched a $200  travel voucher scheme this week. 

But awwww man… The limited vouchers ran out almost immediately – and they’re non-transferable. However, like a kelpie catching cars, there’s still the matter of what to do once you get one.

So let’s unpack how the new Victorian travel vouchers work (and enjoy some vacation inspo, too. Road trip, anyone?)

The Victorian travel vouchers offer a $200 reimbursement to eligible applicants* whenever they spend more than $400 on Victorian tourist activities, including accommodation, tours, and experiences. 

Your trip must also include at least 2 consecutive nights of paid accommodation. 

The vouchers can be used to cover trips taken during the eligible travel period (8 April - 27 May 2022). 

You can then claim your trip for the reimbursement between 4 May - 14 June 2022.

*People aged 18 and over; limited to one voucher per household. Note that allotted vouchers have run out for the time being. Other terms and conditions may also apply. Please review the Victorian Government's guide for more details.

Loads! The Victorian travel vouchers cover all kinds of holiday fun. So long as you’ve spent at least $400, you can claim for: 

• Accommodation (again, at least 2 consecutive nights). This includes AirBNB rentals, motels, hotels, hostels, cabins or caravan holiday parks, caravan and camping site fees, cottages, farm stays, houseboats, resorts, retreats, and lodges. (Whoa, who knew there were so many ways to stay?)

• Tours and experiences, such as boat cruises, guided walks, bus tours, air tours, agri-tourism, food and wine tours, sports tours, and outdoor/adventure tours. 

• Entry fees, such as to museums, water parks, local attractions, theme parks, and so forth.

If you have an existing booking, you can use your vouchers to cover it. (Just heed the aforementioned eligibility period).

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Some exclusions apply, however. The goal of the scheme is to encourage cash flow to Victoria’s local attractions, so the travel vouchers won't cover ‘incidental’ costs like:

• Gaming (sorry, Mario)

• Alcohol (except as part of a fancy wine, brewery, or distillery tasting tour)

• Fuel

• Food and drinks (again, unless as part of a tour)

• Groceries

• Personal items

• Transport costs (hire cars, train and bus tickets).

This is somewhat of an understandable bummer, given rising costs for fuel and groceries. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a fantastic holiday in Victoria, anyway.

Read the Victorian government’s full write up on travel voucher guidelines for more information.

Several Victorian towns were named among the Aussie Towns of the Year, so you could easily plan a road trip if you wanted to hit a few destinations. 

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You could soar above your cares in a hot air balloon, or trek through ancient wilderness near the Grampians. Cosy cabin vibes, sweeping cliffs, and white sand beaches: there’s something for everyone in Victoria.

If you’d like to avoid being stung with unwanted expenses on your Victorian holiday, domestic travel insurance can give you an extra financial cushion. That way, if your luggage takes its own vacation or you get a different kind of travel bug, you could be covered.

(Just make sure you read the PDS -- i.e., terms and conditions).

Interested in a local holiday? Travel insurance could provide you with extra peace of mind. Read our handy guides to get started.