Inclusive tourism is a growing market across the world, and it’s far more than just complying with legal access obligations.
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In Australia, 4.2 million people have a disability, or almost 20 per cent of the population.
Businesses that cater to the needs of these customers are gaining an economic edge.
On Wednesday, Bega Valley’s tourism and hospitality industry was introduced to opportunity that may have been sitting under their noses for some time.
Holiday makers with disabilities often take their family or carer with them, leading to increased revenue for tourism operators.
Senior policy officer for disability inclusion at Local Government NSW Anita Ceravolo said that despite the numbers, inclusive tourism is still overlooked.
“In the first quarter of 2017, the expenditure of people with disabilities on tourism was $3.3 billion, which made up 17 per cent of total expenditure,” she said.
She said the current focus on Australia’s growing Chinese tourism market distracted the tourism industry from preparing for inclusive tourism.
“Chinese tourism is worth $6.8 billion over one year, but our data shows inclusive tourism achieved half of that in just one quarter, so it’s something worth planning for.”
Ms Ceravolo said the economic benefits of inclusive tourism will become apparent as Australia’s population continues to age.
“Baby Boomers are considered more time and cash rich than previous generations, so our ageing population is more likely to travel than ever before,” she said.
“50 per cent of people over the age of 65 have a disability, whether they identify with it or not, and this makes them a key part of inclusive tourism.”
This has a direct effect for regional areas such as the Bega Valley. Ms Ceravolo said their travel data from 2016 showed that 64 per cent of Baby Boomers chose to travel to regional areas for holidays.
Tripadvisor sales executive Alanna Green added that of the 390 million people that use the travel website each month, the majority are over the age of 55.
She said that to remain competitive, businesses needed to show how they cater to this demographic’s needs.
NSW Business Chamber disability inclusion promotions officer Sean Willenberg said making these changes to a business was beneficial in a number of ways.
“When you increase your business accessibility, such as installing a ramp, you’re not just helping people who use wheelchairs,” he said.
“You’re allowing access to young families with prams, for older people who find stairs difficult, you’re even doing a favour for your delivery team.”
Keeping track of these accessibility improvements in the tourism industry is the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse.
Destination NSW digital distribution manager Jenny Gerada said that it was crucial to communicate what aspects of inclusive tourism are present in what locations, so it can be shared with travellers.
“How do we bring this market to regional NSW and how do we let them know these facilities are available?”
Ms Gerada called on local businesses to list themselves on the database and outline their level of accessibility.
“We have a way to filter inclusive tourism options already, but it’s not comprehensive,” she said.
“Ideally we would create a specific inclusive tourism page for Destination NSW, but unless we have the data, we can’t do anything.”
Ms Gerada said travelers with disabilities need to be aware of their options, otherwise they won’t travel, or only travel to one or two certain locations.
