The UK’s tourism minister, Nigel Huddleston, has announced an emergency fund, worth GBP 1.3 million (USD 1.61 million), to support tourism organisations across England during the coronavirus outbreak. The fund aims to provide urgent financial support to tourism organisations that are at ‘severe risk of closure’ during the pandemic.

According to a statement from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), this funding will be available to any at-risk destination management organisation (DMO) which usually receives at least 50% of its income from commercial sources.

The DCMS statement said that funds will be used to cover operating costs and the cost of employees that cannot be furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme because they provide crucial business support services.