New research shows 80% of us are pining for a holiday. With vaccination rates up, lockdowns easing, and COVID fatigue well-and-truly here, there are various states offering vouchers to boost the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Need somewhere to store cash and earn interest? The table below features savings accounts with some of the highest interest rates on the market.

Rates
Features
Conditions
Other
Provider
4000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • No withdrawal notice periods or interest rate penalties
  • Save up to 10% on eGift cards at over 50 retailers with Macquarie Marketplace
Disclosure

Savings Account

  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • No withdrawal notice periods or interest rate penalties
  • Save up to 10% on eGift cards at over 50 retailers with Macquarie Marketplace
More details
Disclosure
400$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Special offer: Savings Accelerator (Kick Starter offer).
  • For a limited time, new ING customers can get a bonus 0.70% p.a. on their savings rate on balances of $150,000 up to $500,000 for the first 4 months. T&Cs apply.
  • If your balance is over $500,000 (but less than $5 million) you will earn the ongoing variable rate of 4.7%
Disclosure

Savings Accelerator

  • Special offer: Savings Accelerator (Kick Starter offer).
  • For a limited time, new ING customers can get a bonus 0.70% p.a. on their savings rate on balances of $150,000 up to $500,000 for the first 4 months. T&Cs apply.
  • If your balance is over $500,000 (but less than $5 million) you will earn the ongoing variable rate of 4.7%
More details
Disclosure
000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Set up your Pay Cycle and connect your accounts from over 140 financial institutions.
  • Retrace your spending steps into categories with Spending Footprint.
  • No monthly or international fees on any of your transactions.
Disclosure

Save Account

  • Set up your Pay Cycle and connect your accounts from over 140 financial institutions.
  • Retrace your spending steps into categories with Spending Footprint.
  • No monthly or international fees on any of your transactions.
More details
Disclosure
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Earn up to 5.20% pa by depositing $1,000 in the previous month
  • No account fees
  • Easy access to your money

AMP Saver Account

  • Earn up to 5.20% pa by depositing $1,000 in the previous month
  • No account fees
  • Easy access to your money
More details
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Deposit at least $1,000+ each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions. Grow your savings balance each month
Disclosure

Savings Maximiser

  • Deposit at least $1,000+ each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions. Grow your savings balance each month
More details
Disclosure
  • Set up your Pay Cycle and connect your accounts from over 140 financial institutions.
  • Retrace your spending steps into categories with Spending Footprint.
  • No monthly or international fees on any of your transactions.

More details
Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

All products with a link to a product provider’s website have a commercial marketing relationship between us and these providers. These products may appear prominently and first within the search tables regardless of their attributes and may include products marked as promoted, featured or sponsored. The link to a product provider’s website will allow you to get more information or apply for the product. By de-selecting “Show online partners only” additional non-commercialised products may be displayed and re-sorted at the top of the table. For more information on how we’ve selected these “Sponsored”, “Featured” and “Promoted” products, the products we compare, how we make money, and other important information about our service, please click here. Rates correct as of December 26, 2024. View disclaimer.

Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

State Dining Out and Travel Vouchers

Most vouchers and incentives tend to focus on our most decimated industries - tourism, and hospitality. There’s a few states offering vouchers for dining out, as well as for travel items such as accommodation and experiences.

Here are the details:

New South Wales vouchers

NSW has two schemes - 'Dine & Discover', and 'Stay & Resdiscover'. The former targets hospitality, and the latter targets accommodation.

The last Dine & Discover vouchers expired at the end of July, however more are expected in December.

They provided up to four, $25 vouchers (unable to be combined) to be spent on restaurants 

Stay & Rediscover vouchers will be offered from November, providing a single $50 voucher to be spent on accommodation within the state.

Both are open to all NSW residents aged over 18.

More information can be found here: www.service.nsw.gov.au/stay-rediscover 

Victoria - Regional Travel Voucher Scheme

Victoria previously encouraged residents to head regional with the Regional Travel Voucher Scheme. However, the latest spate of lockdowns largely put the kabosh on that.

That said, a new round of 80,000 vouchers is expected to be made available soon. 

Previous renditions covered accommodation, sightseeing entry fees (such as museums), and tours in regional Victoria, the Yarra Ranges, and the Mornington Peninsula. So if you wanted to see where Harold Holt went missing and then stay a couple nights in Portsea, you’re in luck.

Each voucher gave a maximum reimbursement of $200, but you needed to spend at least $400 on eligible activities (i.e. a 50% reimbursement). For accommodation you must stay a minimum two nights, and it’s limited to one voucher per household. You also must travel between the eligible periods (usually outside of school holidays).

More information can be found here: www.vic.gov.au/regional-travel-voucher-scheme 

Northern Territory - Territory Tourism voucher

The Territory Tourism Voucher scheme is currently in its fourth rendition.

From 4 October, Top End residents aged over 18 are eligible to receive up to $200, designed to be used across a host of 'experiences'. 

Residents must contribute up to $200 of their own money to be eligible for the $200 kicker.

An additional $200 in bonus vouchers may also be up for grabs should a resident travel more than 400km one-way for their experience.

More information can be found here: www.tourismnt.com.au/marketing/domestic-marketing/current-campaigns/territory-tourism-voucher

What about other states and territories?

Other states previously offered their own various travel voucher schemes towards the tail end of 2020:

  • South Australia's ‘Great State' vouchers

  • Tasmania's ‘Buy Something Tasmanian’ scheme

  • Western Australia's ‘Wander Voucher’ program, and

  • ACT's ‘ChooseCBR’ discount scheme

Queensland - Discover Queensland voucher 

Queensland residents were previously offered up to $200 in travel vouchers, which expired 4 October.

Discover Queensland also gave eligible participants a $50 voucher to explore the state.From the Whitsundays, to Noosa, to the Gold Coast.

Savings.com.au's two cents

Many of us are simply itching for a holiday. Unfortunately, international borders remain closed for now, but luckily there’s a lot to offer in our own backyard, with different states and territories offering incentives to get out and explore.

However, there’s usually no free lunch with these schemes as you usually need to make a booking at least double what the voucher is worth. But, it’s for a good cause, so if you’re looking for a holiday, it’s worth considering these schemes.

Article first published 21 January 2021, last updated 20 October 2021.

Photo by Lochlainn Riordan on Unsplash