Make it Inclusive to help make it Accessible
It is that time of year again when our team starts working on the next Visitor Guide for our region, pulling together all the experiences on offer for travelers into one easy resource. One thing that has been exciting for me is researching the area of accessibility and inclusion.
Working with groups like www.itsheaven.org inclusive tourism has really highlighted the need for more information and the recent inaugural Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Conference in the Asia-Pacific hosted by www.getaboutable.com is looking to facilitate the sharing of ideas and opening the conversation to a wider audience around travelers needs and expectations.
For operators this is a fast growing market. Visitors with a disability generally travel with a companion or group, they tend to stay longer and return more often to experiences that create a comfortable and inclusive environment. Educating operators on how they can create a product that speaks to those people, that has that focus, that is clear on what is on offer, is so vitally important now in opening up options.
It comes down to knowing where to get the right information, being educated and flexible and willing to have that conversation with staff so that everyone feels comfortable around what can be catered for, being clear in your messaging and that expectations are understood so they can be met.
In my first few years as a Kayak instructor, I had the pleasure of helping to facilitate the dreams of two very special women who were both looking to find their new normal. One a paraplegic and one an amputee. At the time I probably didn’t realise the importance of what we were doing together and how adaptability and understanding comes from respect and communication, a willingness to ask the question and not being afraid to take steps that are outside the square. Both ladies felt they didn’t have a disability when we were out on the water. Admitting we were all on a journey to find out what worked and what didn’t for them was an important recognition and improved the quality of the experience for everyone, me included.
One in six people have some form of disability. That is 17% of Australians and around 4 million people. In the past we have invested a lot into specific market ready product. Accessibility ready product should be part of that marketing conversation. COVID has changed the mindset and fear around doing things differently and right now, while regional travel is booming, it is a great opportunity to use some of the resources out there to improve your inclusion potential.
Tourism Australia defines accessible tourism as “The ongoing endeavor to ensure tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age”. This refers more to how user friendly the physical accessibility features of a location are. Inclusive Tourism refers more to the attitudes and acceptance of operators to make people of all abilities feel welcomed and included in the experience and this is something that everyone can be a part of in some way.
Websites like http://travability.travel/ have several resources, such as a self-audit tool, to help you establish and navigate what you can provide. Lemon Tree Hotels have established their “Seven Pillars of inclusion” strategy that is embedded throughout the organisation. Just by changing the language you use on your website and describing your business offerings through images and video you can create a better picture of what the experience is which enables people to better decide for themselves and be comfortable. You can also check out some ideas on developing accessible destinations from https://www.visitbritain.org/developing-accessible-destinations