Staff and councillors have defended a move to not provide Wangaratta tourism events with funding until six weeks before they are held, saying they need to be sure the events will go ahead.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wangaratta Council provides an annual tourism event funding program, where the money is usually paid much earlier.
But with so many cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic, development services director Stephen Swart said this would change.
"Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the associated uncertainty around some of these events and what restrictions will apply when these events are due to take place, we've included a provision that the funding is subject to successful application getting 50 per cent of the funding six weeks from the event being due to take place and 50 per cent after the event," he said at Tuesday's council meeting.
"In previous years we would have provided the first 50 per cent when it was awarded by council so we are delaying that payment to be closer to the event so we have a higher level of certainty that the event is actually taking place."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Eight grants were awarded included $5000 for the King Valley's La Dolce Vita Festival and $3,750 for the Transmotto 8 Hour dirt bike event.
It has now been a year since Wangaratta Council launched a controversial plan to change its logo.
That plan has been scrapped in favour of keeping the current logo, but the "Rural City of possibilities" marketing campaign that went along with is ready to launch.
Mayor Dean Rees has revealed the campaign will be used to encourage tourists to return to Wangaratta when coronavirus restrictions are lifted from June 1.
The digital and social media campaign will first be used to promote trips during June and July, including the school holidays, then spring and Christmas holidays.
This will involve promotion of individual businesses and wider opportunities such as bushwalking.
"Every other town will be trying to do the same thing, we're trying to get people to our area and to come and spend money in our great countryside," Cr Rees said.
"We need to look strategically at this to make sure we are ready for the masses of people coming out of the city to our country areas, whether for a day or for x amount of nights.
"We look forward to our hotels and motels opening back up to give that great service."