Access Tourism NZ TOURISM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, SENIORS, AND AGEING BOOMERS IN NEW ZEALAND AND WORLDWIDE

Tourism South East (TSE) in the UK – which covers eight counties – has over 2000 industry and 70 local authority members.  Tourism in the region is worth in excess of £13 billion and supports over 300,000 jobs.   TSE estimates that the disabled market is worth £40 billion per annum, and that over 2.5 million disabled people travel regularly.  As they often travel with families and carers the number of access tourists increases dramatically.   TSE has funding to deliver a series of subsidised Destination Access Audits, mini audits, bespoke access workshops, and Welcome All courses across the South East over the next four years.  It also used funding from the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to undertake some  Accessibility Case Studies to understand how businesses have benefited from making their properties more accessible in the run up to the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London.   These include:

• Heath Farm, Lewes.  A four star self- catering property that has achieved the National Accessible Scheme Mobility Grade 2 award, is a TSE member and whose owners have benefited from Welcome All training. 
• The Roald Dahl Museum, Buckinghamshire.  Won the Enjoy England Award for Small Visitor Attraction Of The Year 2008, is a TSE member, has taken significant steps towards welcoming all customers and has benefited from signing up to Hosting The World.
• Holiday Inn, Windsor/Maidenhead. The Holiday Inn Windsor/Maidenhead has achieved the National Accessible Scheme Mobility and Hearing Grade 1. The Holiday Inn Accessibility Manager recently presented at a Tourism South East and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead accessibility seminar at Legoland.
• Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire. Winchester Cathedral is Winchester’s principal tourist attraction and has dominated the city for nearly a thousand years.  Visitors to the city are largely drawn by its well-preserved historical centre and making its key attractions accessible to everyone is important for the city’s ambition to be a world-class visitor destination. Winchester Cathedral is a Tourism South East member and staff have benefited from Tourism South East’s Welcome to Excellence and e-animation training courses.

Videos of some of these case studies can be found here.

TSE also conducted text case studies to provide an insight into the benefits of businesses becoming more accessible in the run up to 2012.  Continue reading:

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The European Disability Forum is an independent European non-government organisation which has played a key role in ensuring that all relevant EU policies and initiatives  take disabled people into account.  It reports that the European Commission has just adopted a communication on tourism which proposes to better include people with disabilities.   The latest communication from the Commission points out that tourism plays an important role in Europe’s economy. It comprises 1.8 million enterprises, many of these being small and medium-sized businesses. It also points out that transport and tourism is a basic right for all citizens, including people with disabilities. The right to travel and to access tourist activities is enshrined in Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD).    The UN CRPD has been signed and ratified by New Zealand, so that these rights exist in this country.  However, we have not done a very good job in implementing this (see for example, this post, and this).   

CRPD has been signed and is in the process of ratification by the European communities and its Member States.  Read more……………

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Tourism South East (England) has commissioned a series of case studies to understand how businesses have benefited from making their properties more accessible in the run up to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games being held in 2012.  The case studies include video and text case studies.  To find out more, continue reading……

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Michael McClelland of The Best of New Zealand Fly Fishing  told New Zealand’s Inside Tourism magazine this week that social media isn’t all it is sexed up to be, at least in some North American markets.  The Best of New Zealand Fly Fishing is a travel agency started by McClelland in 1981, and – as the name suggests – the American company concentrates solely on trips to this country.  And because most of his up-market clients are retired or approaching retirement, they are not users of these social media forums.  He says his clients won’t be enticed to NZ just because they receive a message to do so via Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. So he is appealing to Tourism New Zealand to take a balanced approach when it comes to destination marketing. “I do not want see all the traditional ways forgotten. Most of the social media are great for our kids but they are not the market that is coming to NZ. If they do travel then most will probably fall into the backpacker market.”  He adds: “I have looked at every YouTube clip on fishing in NZ and most of the videos are young people that are fishing on their own. Very few are using a guide and even fewer are staying in fishing lodges.  It is great exposure for New Zealand, but it is not the market that really helps sustains the lodges or spends anywhere near the money that our up-market clients spend” (Inside Tourism Issue 800, 26/8/2010).

As the Asian and Pacific region struggles to sustain its dynamism in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the estimated 400 million disabled persons living in the region are emerging as a force for change, including for their still mostly untapped consumer power.   The potential for the business sector to embrace the rights and concerns of persons with disabilities was a key focus of a regional meeting on South-to-South Cooperation on Disability held on 19 and 20 August at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).  Over 60 participants, including senior officials from 10 ASEAN countries, representatives of the business sector and disabled people’s organizations explored ways in which business development plans and employment practices could become more inclusive, recognizing that persons with disabilities are generally an untapped consumer market.

The Meeting was organized by ESCAP and the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
It reviewed the implementation of the Biwako Millennium Framework for Action — a regional plan for a barrier-free and rights-based society for persons with disabilities, in particular concerning community-based inclusive development. It discussed the feasibility of an ASEAN mechanism to facilitate the movement of persons with disabilities. “We are focusing on the ASEAN subregion to develop a mechanism to enhance legislation and policies related to equal opportunities and inclusive development for persons with disabilities”, commented Tanin Kraivixien, President, APDC Foundation. He continued: “But this Meeting is epoch-making since the business sector has also been invited to promote socially inclusive business development”.

UNESCAP press release 20 August 2010

It is a well-known fact that populations are ageing.  In the USA for example, the McKinsey Global Institute reports that  50+ plus consumers will control the economy for the first time in history in under 10 years.  By 2015, they will command almost 60% of net US wealth and 40% of spending.  Now New Zealand Trade and Enterprise report that manufacturers need to re-think how they market products to Latin America’s Baby Boomers.  The findings of a Neilson report show that while the trend of lower birth rates combined with longer life expectancies have been well-documented in Europe and the USA, the trend also exists to Latin America.  Analysis shows that people aged 50+ currently made up 19% of the population in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico.  Importantly, these percentages are expected to rise to 26% by 2025 and 38% by 2050, according to Nielsen.  “In the next 10 to 12 years, one of every four consumers will be over age 50, and as in other countries around the world, older Latin Americans are defying the traditional stereotypes. They are more affluent, spend more money and are open to new brands and products,” Mary Paz Roman from Nielsen in Latin America reports.

Per Capita Spending Power
Older households – while being 13% smaller than the average home – have higher levels of per capita spending than other age groups:

• Chile: 17% higher
• Brazil: 15%
• Mexico: 15%
• Colombia:13%
• Puerto Rico: 12%

Tourism New Zealand (TNZ) – the international marketing agency for tourism in NZ – says that Chile, Argentina, and Brazil are firmly in their sights as it evaluated the potential in small but growing markets.  Together, the three countries deliver about 21,000 visitors each year to NZ.  In October 2009, TNZ visited South America and talked to people in the industry.  As a result, TNZ has increased its South American budget to NZ$100,000 and put together a trade development plan for this financial year.  This includes joint venture advertising.  Access Tourism NZ hopes that part of the TNZ strategy in South America will include marketing to the older demographic if we are not to miss out on this large and growing group of potential tourists.

Guest article by Dominika Bojová, Intern, NZ Tourism Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, and PhD. Student, International Business Management, University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of Commerce, Department of Services and Tourism, Slovak Republic.

Since 2009 the Czech Republic has become a country that seriously understands the potential of tourism for certain groups of inhabitants. According to the European Union’s efforts in promoting and supporting tourism for less privileged European citizens, the Czech Republic recently started projects and grant schemes aimed at social tourism.  The aim of these projects is to improve the life of underprivileged citizens while at the same time helping local economies to smooth seasonal disparities, promote regional development, and create new year-round tourism jobs. European developments in  social tourism are guided by  strategies such as the  Lisbon Strategy, Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism  and Corporate Social Responsibility: A Business Contribution to Sustainable Development. The Calypso study conference of June 2010 reviewed the current situation of social tourism in Europe and set three main tasks for action: experience and knowledge exchange between member countries, further development of health tourism, and a pan-European voucher system.  Continue Reading

The median age for viewers at CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox is now 51. So writes David Bauder of Associated Press. In fact, the broadcasters’ audience has aged at twice the rate of the general population.  It’s a quiet trend with a real impact on the way they do business.  For example, it has an effect on the type of shows which survive.  A generation ago, the networks were quicker to cast off shows in favour of something newer and hipper, but are more reluctant now to get rid of something that is successful. For years, these networks sold advertising based on how many people were watching in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic, but that is changing.  Advertisers are starting to recognize that older viewers are increasing and that they spend money and are receptive to their messages.  Now there are advertising sectors geared to the 50-plus market, and that includes the travel sector. Alan Wurtzel, research chief at NBC warned not to discount people who are in their 50s and 60S. “They buy iPads,” Wurtzel said. “They’re online. The reality is these are the people who have the money.”

Inside Tourism (Issue 799/2) reports that Tourism Industry Association (TIANZ) CEO Tim Cossar outlined at this week’s annual ITOC conference the three things NZ recommends most to our visitors.  One of these recommendations is “thrill seeking activities”.  As pointed out on this website several times before (most recently here), the government’s own data shows that more visitors engage in sedentary activity while in New Zealand and that the largest group of both domestic and international travellers in New Zealand are already 45 years old or older. Not only that, populations in our most important markets (including in NZ) are ageing and will continue to do so for the next several decades.   And it is the older age groups that have the money and the time to spend on tourism, travel, and hospitality.  While “thrill seeking” is a wonderful lure to the smaller and less wealthy younger demographic, it is unlikely that an emphasis on such activities will attract visitors in the older, richer, and more time-wealthy demographic to our shores.  Access Tourism NZ applauds the fact that NZ also emphasizes NZ’s natural beauty and cultural experiences.  In order to build a sustainable tourism industry in NZ, it is this older demographic that we need to be attracting, and nature and culture are amongst the things that are attractive to them.

The global financial crisis has not dampened the enthusiasm of Australian senior for travel. Recent research conducted by Australian Seniors Publications – who publish The Senior Traveller amongst other things – reveals the following:
• 45% of seniors travelled in a six month period before the survey in 2009
• 95% are planning a domestic holiday and 36% an international holiday in the next year
• The UK, Europe, and NZ top the list seniors want to travel to
• Almost 50% plan to stay away longer than 21 days and 75% prefer mid-week breaks – both factors influenced by retirement
• 80% would travel more if senior’s discounts were available
• 70% prefer to break their journey on long-haul flights
• Seniors tend to plan for trips well ahead
Sue Preston, writing for Travel Mole points out that operators should attract seniors in non-peak periods because of their travel preferences. Airlines could also benefit by marketing affordable stopovers to seniors on long haul flights.

The New Zealand population is ageing, along with that of the rest of the world.  This fact is significant for the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry because disability increases with age.  And it is older people who already comprise our biggest domestic and international visitor groups.  Statistics New Zealand reports that at 30 June 2010, half the male population of New Zealand was over 35.5 years of age, and half of females were over 37.6 years of age. Over the last 10 years, the median age has increased by 2.0 years for males and 2.5 years for females.  The population aged 40-64 (all Baby Boomers and some leading edge GenX) increased in number by 1.5%, while those 65 or older increased by 3% between June 2009 and June 2010. Over the decade ended 30 June 2010, the population aged 15–39 years reduced from 36% to 34% of the population, while over the same period, those aged 40-64 increased by 1.5% to 32%, and those aged 65-79 grew at an average annual rate of 1.9%. In the 10 years ended June 2010, there was also an increase in the proportion of the population aged 80 years and over (80+), from 2.8% to 3.5%.

New Zealand needs to begin to seriously consider improving access in all walks of life – including in tourism, travel, and hospitality – if we are to manage the opportunities presented by the ageing of the population and the resulting changes in ability in our population and the populations of countries that are our major tourism markets.  We can only build a truely sustainable tourism sector by including access considerations.  Unlike our main rivals, we are as yet taking very few steps in this direction.

It is good to see that Prime Minister John Key has recognized the growing importance of older tourists to  New Zealand tourism.  Inside Tourism 798 reports that in a speech to the Motel Association of New Zealand (MANZ) conference recently, Key said that moteliers should not be surprised if their market becomes increasingly retired people. “They will travel around New Zealand as they will have more time on their hands and will want see the West Coast or whatever and you will get more of them as at the moment New Zealand has 535,000 over 65 and in 40 years it will have a million. We are aging fast.”  He said the average New Zealand male dies at 79 and the average female at 82. The average age of death rises 2.5 year ever decade and Mr Key said his son Max, now aged 15, will have the statistical probability of living to be 100. People will have more leisure time and will be fitter.

Given that the government’s own data shows that:

• the largest group of both domestic and international travellers in New Zealand are already 45 years old or older
• more visitors engage in sedentary activity while in New Zealand
• people experience increasing disability with age

then Access Tourism NZ  hopes that our government and industry will begin to take into consideration what the needs of older and more disabled visitors are.  We need to do this in older to make sure our tourism is sustainable and does not continue to lag behind our major competitors who are already tapping into this growing market.

America’s top professionals involved in building for, marketing to and serving people aged 55+ will be speaking at the National Active Retirement Associations (NARA) upcoming conference in October.  Newswire Today reports that included amongst the speakers will be  Simon Hudson, Chair in Tourism Research at the University of South Carolina.  Simon has done extensive research into mature (50+) tourism and will discuss tourism as it leads to retirement in a location.  Other topics will include internet marketing and strategies to attract retirees to invest in communities. Speakers will also offer advice on how to successfully design, build and market 55+ targeted products and services.  Over the last ten years, NARA annual conferences have attracted business professionals and academics from 16 states, Canada and Mexico.

“As America ages, we are faced with enormous challenges and opportunities to serve this burgeoning market segment,” said NARA Director Dan Owens. “Every six seconds, an American turns 50 and professionals need to get attuned to this marketplace to be successful in our changing economy.  With 70 percent of all assets held by people over 50, older folks play a large role in the economy.” According to NARA, the Aging Silver Tsunami – the 78 million Baby Boomers – will start turning 65 next year (2011). “Over the next 20 years, the youth culture in America will certainly decrease as America will become, as a whole, older than Florida is as a state today. Virtually every business will be affected.”

Other speakers at the conference will include:
• Colin Milner, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founder and CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), one of the world’s visionaries on the health and well-being of the older adult.

• John Cromartie, Washington, D.C. A senior demographer at the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, John has focused on retiree migration to rural areas.

Robert Otterbourg writes in the North Carolina News Observer that retirees are as “good as gold” for the N.C. economy.  The area’s growing retiree population is a major economic engine that fuels a wide range of businesses, nonprofits and more.  Many of the state’s 1.1 million retirees have money and time to spare.  Aaron Nelson, president of the Chapel Hill Chamber of Commerce notes that retirees are “an economic asset.”  In a 2005 survey conducted by the National Active Retirement Association, it was estimated that retirees relocating to North Carolina brought in $348.6 million in income. David Owens, executive director of the Association recognizes that “These transplanted retirees often have more money to spend even though many have lost money in the stock market tumble. They are still better off financially than most younger folks.”   According to Laura Morgan, a local general manager for construction and real estate, “Buyers are scaling back and spending less on homes.  It means that they want to have maximum disposable income to enjoy eating out, attend cultural events and travel.” 

Many local businesses depend on older customers for support, whether it is from retirees buying gifts for family members, furnishings to spruce up their permanent or vacation home, or upscale women’s fashion.   The N.C. Museum of Art finds that retirees and students on school trips dominate the weekday attendance. Similarly, many tour groups consist of retirees, and retirees also boost box office attendance for local theatres. The Durham Bulls organization goes one step further by targeting fans 50 or older with its Silver Bulls package of five daytime games for $35.

Robert K. Otterbourg is the author of “Retire and Thrive” and several other books. He can be reached rkotter@aol.com

Beach wheelchairs for the disabled are becoming more common.  To give just two examples from opposite sides of the world, the Tel-Aviv-Jaffa Municipality (Israel)  just purchased six of the chairs for four of its beaches.  The chairs are designed to enable people with mobility disability to move around on beach sand and enter the water.  There are plans to increase the number of such chairs available.  In  Brunswick Heads (Queensland, Australia), the Disabled Surfers Association with assistance from The Northern Rivers Community Foundation and Byron Shire Council have purchased four “four-wheel-drive” beach wheelchair.  Owen Danvers, who gave one of the chairs a test run at Torakina Beach, said it was a huge bonus for Brunswick Heads’ disabled residents and visitors.  “For a lot of people, just to be able to get their feet wet is an experience, especially for those who’ve never been on the beach before.”   Ted Kabbout, of the Disabled Surfers Association, said the chairs could also be used by the elderly.  “With the ageing population, there are a lot of people who haven’t been down to the beach for a long time who can now think about getting there again.”  Mr Kabbout said the purchase of the chair was the first step in a push to make Brunswick Heads beaches more accessible. In the long term, he would like to see accessibility ramps built at various locations on the river and beaches.  “Brunswick Heads is such a good location for these things to be in place. It’s the perfect fit. It doesn’t cost a huge amount, we just need the will,” Mr Kabbout said.

U.S. Baby Boomers are the biggest generation in world history and comprise about 76 million people. It is estimated that Boomers control over 80% of personal financial assets and have over half of discretionary spending power in the States. In other words, they control more than half of consumer spending. So writes James Mellgren on the Gourmet Retailer website.   As members of this generation enter their senior years, their lifestyles and buying habits change. For example, many Boomers go out to dine more often when their children leave home because they have more money to spend.   According to the American Culinary Federation (ACF), Boomers are the top spenders in restaurants. Visits by those aged 65 or older to restaurants has increased by 9%, while those aged 50 to 64 are up by 4%.  With US$2 trillion in spending power, a great deal of attention has been paid recently to the needs of this generation, both at foodservice and in retail. Even though the majority of Boomers are still in the work force, they are still getting older and, therefore, sodium levels, reduced portions, easy-to-open packaging, and convenience in general are all important considerations when marketing to this age group. The ACF’s Chef & Child Foundation (CCF) and Clemson University have put together a three-page article called “Culinary Nutrition News: Nutrition and the Baby Boomer Generation” to help those in foodservices cater to this group.

Lilian Müller is currently President of the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) and Managing Director of Tourism for All Sweden. She has worked in the field of accessible tourism since 1995, and was one of the initiators behind Tourism for All in Sweden.  She has been instrumental in building up services like the Swedish accessibility database EQUALITY, providing accessibility counselling for the tourism sector, produced training material and holding training courses for staff in tourism companies, and training accessibility auditors.  In an interview with the Design For All Foundation, Müller describes how tourism for all is not about designing and creating solutions and products just for people with disabilities, but is about making sure that these products fit the widest possible number of customers.   ENAT, which was established in 2006 with a grant from the European Union, partners and/or supports many projects around Europe such as CETA (Competitiveness for European Tourism for All).  ENAT also established ETCAATS (European Training Certificate – Access for All in the Tourism Sector), an online training course in Tourism for All, and a ‘road map’ for an EU certification system in the area of accessible tourism vocational training.   Müller describes how Access Tourism is becoming better known in Europe as a concept with the potential to increase visitor numbers.  Access Tourists are attractive because many are willing to spend more money in the low season and they are more loyal to destinations than the average tourist.  She points out that with an ageing population likely to experience increasing disability over time, no tourism operation can afford to ignore improving access.

The European Commission’s “Access City Award”, the first European Award for Accessible Cities, has now been launched. This annual award aims to highlight the European cities that are taking the most effective and innovative action to improve their accessibility for disabled citizens.  The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) reports that the award will celebrate and showcase the most successful initiatives that allow people with disabilities to participate fully in society. Accessibility is not difficult to implement, this is the initiative’s key message.  Approximately 80 million Europeans have disabilities. 16% of them are of working age, whilst almost 70% are over 60. As disability is so closely linked to ageing, it is likely to affect everyone at some point in their life. Accessibility is therefore a key element of the European Union’s disability policy.  The EU regards accessibility for all of its citizens to public buildings, transportation, information and communications to be essential in order to ensure sustainable economic and social benefits in the long term.  In addition, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, accessibility will remain at the core of the new EU Disability Strategy 2010-2020 (ENAT).

The Algarve Tourist Board (ERTA) has appealed to regional Town Halls to collaborate in helping broaden the scope of what can be offered to disabled tourists in order to elevate the region as a point of reference within that particular market.  To achieve this goal the ERTA has appealed to regional Town Halls to “co-finance a study that will analyse the destination in terms of being an ‘Accessible Destination’, therefore allowing, “by the end of the year, for the ‘Accessible’ brand to be implemented” throughout the region, under the slogan “One Algarve For All”.   Almeida Pires, Vice President of ERTA told the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), “We want an inclusive Algarve where accessibility is a key concern. Therefore, we have launched a challenge to the public sector to become an example to the private sector, by taking stock of what is on offer in each area in terms of accessible tourism and creating across the board attractions within all tourist products.  The study will culminate in the preparation of interventions to be applied on the ground, for the benefit of people who have special needs”.

This will include the creation of special access paths that allow wheelchairs to be used on beaches; the availability of specially-adapted wheelchairs that move on sand and by the water’s edge, as well as re-organising car parks and adapting toilets.  “But these measures can only be implemented after existing problems have been detected and solutions found, to adapt tourist products and services so they have the appropriate conditions for universal access”, Pires stressed, highlighting that there is  “urgency in moving forward with this technical study, as part of the Strategic Plan for Promoting Accessibility in the Algarve”.

Peter Dunne, director of the Cape May Bird Observatory in New Jersey predicts a 15-20 year boom in bird watching driven by Baby Boomers becoming increasingly interested in the hobby.  Dunne runs introductory courses in bird watching and says that to a man or women, their stories are all the same: “I just retired and I – or we -  are looking for something to do, and birding fits the bill.”  He predicts that birding’s popularity is exploding and will continue to explode as Boomers age, and notes that a lot of tourist locations are chasing this fast-growing market.  For tourism marketers, this is a valuable demographic. An estimated 47.7 million birders in the United States spent about $45.7 billion on wildlife-watching in 2006, reports Richard Aiken, a natural resources economist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who studies the economic value of wildlife-related recreation.