MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands Government announces support scheme for tourist sector

Following the approval at ExCo on Tuesday 12 December, the Falkland Islands Government will now be able to provide details on a support scheme designed specifically to mitigate the effects of site closures associated with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as bird flu, on tourism businesses, operators and employees until 31 March 2024.

Tourism is an important sector for the Falkland Islands, and the Government is keen to ensure that, where possible, affected tourism-related businesses can be compensated for losses associated with HPAI-related restrictions implemented by FIG in response to HPAI.

The scheme will be administered by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board on behalf of the Government. Key features of the scheme are:

• Linked directly to protection zones or other restrictions implemented by FIG. The scheme seeks to compensate applicants who incur a loss as a direct result of legal restrictions imposed on access to a specific site for a specific period of time. The scheme will not compensate for cancellations for locations or time periods for which no protection zone has been implemented.

• Available for pre-booked services. The scheme will compensate for actual rather than potential loss. This is based on the principle that an individual or business without an existing booking was 1) not guaranteed income on the specified day and 2) had more flexibility to pursue alternative activities than an individual or business that had an existing booking.

• Payable at 50% of unrecoverable loss. Recognizing that some operators will have cancellation policies or will be able to undertake alternative activities (e.g., a tour to an unaffected site), applicants will be required to certify that they have not been able to recover some or all of the loss incurred. The scheme will compensate at a rate of 50% of the unrecoverable loss. entry/landing fee that would typically be paid. Based on this, FITB will withhold an amount equal to 50% of the expected entry/landing fee. The site operator will be eligible to apply for compensation and this amount will be paid directly to the site operator. In situations where the agent is able to rebook visitors on another tour, the site operator associated with the original booking can still apply for compensation, based on evidence of bookings that had been made.

• Payable to the individual/business typically accepting payment or to the site operator/manager who would accept entry/landing fees. Where an agent or operator employs others in delivery of a service (e.g., tour drivers, lodge staff), the agent or operator will be responsible for making the application. The applicant must certify that they will compensate impacted employees or service providers at a rate commensurate with the compensation provided (i.e., 50% of what those employees/service providers would have received). The exception will be for losses that include payment of entry or landing fees. In those instances, the applicant must provide information about the amount of entry/landing fee that would typically be paid. Based on this, FITB will withhold an amount equal to 50% of the expected entry/landing fee. The site operator will be eligible to apply for compensation and this amount will be paid directly to the site operator. In situations where the agent is able to rebook visitors on another tour, the site operator associated with the original booking can still apply for compensation, based on evidence of bookings that had been made.

Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, MLA Gavin Short said: “We showed during the COVID-19 pandemic that as a government we understand how vital tourism is for residents as a form of employment. We have known that bird flu would ultimately come to the Falkland Islands and we are in a good position to ensure that people in the Islands will receive some form of payment if they have had to cancel bookings due to a restricted zone imposed by Government. I ask everyone in the Islands to continue remain vigilant and practise good biosecurity to protect our wildlife. Should it become necessary, I encourage anyone who might be eligible for this scheme to get in touch with the Tourist Board.”

Guidance on the eligibility criteria will be available in due course on: https://www.falklandislands.com/