According to Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger, Austrian travel agencies can submit applications for financial support from Monday afternoon. These are to be granted from the "Fixed cost grant II" pot and can be requested up to an amount of 800.000 euros via Finanz-Online.

“No industry suffers more from the consequences of the corona crisis than tourism and the travel industry. We are therefore pulling out all the stops to give the companies affected the best possible support. The fixed cost subsidy is one of the most important instruments and has proven itself. This crisis is not over yet, the industry still needs help. It is all the more important that the fixed cost subsidy 2 with up to 800.000 euros can now be applied for via FinanzOnline and supports companies in managing their running costs. From December onwards, the extended fixed cost subsidy of up to 3 million euros should also be possible. I know how difficult the negotiations with the EU Commission were and are in this regard. Finance Minister Gernot Blümel did not give up and found a way to make this possible, ”said the Federal Minister.

According to Köstinger, who describes this measure as vital, costs such as rent or lease, "frustrated expenses", insurance premiums or leasing payments can be submitted. The so-called “frustrated expenses” should also benefit the travel agencies.

“This measure is vital for many companies in order to survive failures and the sometimes drastic loss of their business basis to some extent. The fixed cost subsidy replaces running costs such as rent, lease, frustrated expenses, insurance premiums or leasing installments. Due to the pandemic and travel warnings, travel agencies have been breaking the business foundation for months. With the second phase of the fixed cost subsidy, we have achieved the support that you urgently need, ”explains Köstinger. Austria has meanwhile received the green light from Brussels for a fixed cost subsidy of a maximum of three million euros per company. However, applications for these can only be submitted from December 2020.