As a tourism operator, it is essential for you to have a Bushfire Survival Plan for your business. As part of your duty of care, it is important that you make a reasonable effort to protect, educate and advise your guests about possible fire situations and what they are to do in the event of a fire. 

Once you have a Bushfire Survival Plan in place, everyone who works at or visits your business should be aware of your emergency management procedures.

Planning is a continuous process. To be effective in an emergency, plans must be regularly checked, tested and updated as conditions in your business and environment change.

In your current Bushfire Survival Plan, you must consider the Fire Danger Ratings, which include details and recommended action for "Catastrophic" fire days. The fire danger ratings take into account the weather conditions as well as the amount, type and dryness of the surrounding vegetation to calculate a more accurate fire danger rating. 

How bushfire ready are you?  Find out with the CFS Bushfire Ready Assessment Tool.

The following information will assist you with your own bushfire planning:

• Bushfire safety for tourism operators, some frequently asked questions [PDF, 11.8KB] - SA Country Fire Service. 

• Bushfire safety for businesses and organisations  - SA Country Fire Service. Download the brochure >

• Planning to Survive a Bushfire [PDF, 4.82MB] - Your guide to preparing for and surviving bushfires.

Tourism businesses are an important source of bushfire information for visitors. According to research conducted by Sweeney Research in 2011, most visitors expect tourism businesses in high-risk locations to have the right information about bushfire safety.

• Holiday safety and survival  [PDF, 308KB] - SA Country Fire Service
• Bushfire safety for travellers [PDF, 468KB] - SA Country Fire Service

Download the SA Country Fire Service smartphone app which provides bushfire alerts and safety information. Available from iTunes App Store and Google Play.

More than just a place to lodge your activity statement, the ATO for business website provides useful links and key tax topics for business, including tax basics for small business.

Under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 you must ensure that your advertising correctly represents the product you are selling, including its price and any inclusions or exclusions.  For all you need to know about advertising the price of your tourism product or experience, please download a copy of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC's) 'Pricing Manual for the Travel Industry'.

Discover Your Career is the portal for career pathways & jobs in tourism and hospitality and is managed by the THCC (Tourism & Hospitality Careers Council).

Small Business Resources for Hiring Staff

The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched two resources to provide small businesses with straight forward advice about hiring new staff.

Guide to hiring new employees
The guide gives small business operators advice in plain English about the best way to employ new employees and explains their workplace obligations in simple terms.

Guide to the 457 Program for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries

Australia has a number of skilled migration programs each with a different aim and purpose. The 457 visa program is the simplest and fastest option to address immediate skill shortages in your business.

The National Employment Standards (NES) are 10 minimum employment entitlements that have to be provided to all employees in Australia.

Learn about pay obligations, including minimum wages, pay slip and record-keeping requirements and the rules regarding unpaid work.

The Fair Work Commission is the national workplace relations tribunal. It is an independent body with power to carry out a range of functions relating to wages, employment conditions, enterprise bargaining, industrial action, dispute resolution, termination of employment and other workplace matters.

By taking simple steps, you can prevent discrimination and harassment in your business, and save time, money and your reputation. You can also improve staff relations and customer satisfaction.

SafeWork SA is responsible for administering occupational health, safety and welfare and industrial relations laws in South Australia.

Event Management Checklist

A comprehensive checklist to guide you through all the event steps. This list will help you think of all the elements possibly involved in your event.

Event Management and Planning

A detailed look at the process of event management and planning. A useful guide to help try to increase your event success.

Accessibility Marketing Guide

A handy guide outlining the information required by travellers with a disability to allow tourism operators to gain the most from their accessible infrastructure. The guide advises why and how to present accessibly information and gives examples of critical inclusive information. The Accessibility Marketing Guide has been produced by Travability, an agency committed to the accessible tourism sector.

Swimming Pool and Spa Pool - Operations Standard

This code has been prepared to address the issue of water quality in relation to the operation of a swimming pool and a spa pool. It details measures necessary to ensure that water quality within a pool is of a standard that does not prejudice the health or well-being of pool users. It describes in detail the disinfection of pool water with reference to other important parameters such as pH, water clarity and total alkalinity that need to be maintained in balance as part of the total water treatment process.

A food business has a legal responsibility to ensure that food sold to customers is handled and processed in a way that will ensure its safety. Food must be adequately and accurately labelled to ensure consumers can make an informed choice.

In South Australia food businesses are required to comply with the Food Act 2001 and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

The Federal Government's business assistance site is a handy site for new businesses with how-to guides and advice, including a Starting A Business checklist and Growing A Business Checklist. It also includes grants and assistance; advice and support; and skills and training information. Contact: 13 28 46.

The Australian Government, through Austrade, has a range of assistance programs to support tourism, and along with Tourism Australia, promotes, attracts and facilitates investment into Australia’s tourism sector. Tourism Research Australia provides research and analysis to support policy and industry development. Tourism 2020 is an update to Australia's national strategy to support industry growth.

DMITRE offers programs and services to support all business activities that benefit the State – from small business operations through to billion-dollar projects and major investments. DMITRE's work is driven by State Government's 7 Strategic Priorities.

This website has been designed for businesses and individuals seeking government services and information. It brings together relevat information from across all SA Government departments and agencies - with more detailed information available via hyperlinks.

The Privacy Act and the Information Privacy Act contain privacy principles that outline standards that must be met in regards to the collection, use, disclosure and storage of personal information. They also allow individuals to access and correct their personal information.

Licensing ensures licence holders meet standards so they are able to perform their duties. You can obtain a licence or check if a company or person is licensed to do the job.

Don't let scammers steal your money and personal details – protect yourself.

Under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 you must ensure that your advertising correctly represents the product you are selling, including its price and any inclusions or exclusions.  For all you need to know about advertising the price of your tourism product or experience, please download a copy of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's (ACCC's) 'Pricing Manual for the Travel Industry'.

Any contracts that are entered into are subject to the 'Unfair Contract Terms' law. Essentially, consumers are now able to dispute the terms of any contracts that are entered into.

For a brief outline of the law, please refer to the Unfair Contract Terms, which provides an overview of the key aspects of the law and how it may affect you.

The object of this Act is to enhance the welfare of Australians through the promotion of competition and fair trading and provision for consumer protection.

Consumer and Business Services (CBS) ensures that laws affecting consumers, traders and businesses in South Australia are fairly and effectively administered.

CBS provides a diverse range of services to support the every day activities of South Australian citizens whether consumers, traders or businesses. CBS is customer focused and flexible in its activities and provides accessible services and information.

The Law Handbook Online contains an overview of the law in South Australia presented in everyday language. It outlines your rights and responsibilities in a range of legal areas and advises on where you can go for more assistance. It is important that you use the Law Handbook Online as a starting point only, and not as a substitute for legal advice.

More than just a place to lodge your activity statement, the ATO for business website provides useful links and key tax topics for business, including tax basics for small business.

Information for anyone intending to become a driver of a taxi, small or large passenger vehicle must be formally accredited and adhere to a standard.

Information on everything from cycling, boating, motoring and heavy vehicles.