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

Kéroul Quebec, Canada, has conducted a Study on the behaviours and attitudes of people with a physical disability, with respect to tourism, culture and transportation in Québec. The study examined their habits with regard to patronizing cultural activities or sites such as restaurants, lodging (hotels, etc.), theatres, cinemas, concert halls, museums, historical sites, libraries, art galleries, book fairs, archive repositories, and bookstores. It also examined their participation in celebrations and festivals, and their assessment of the available types of paratransit services.  Findings include that:

• During their most recent trip within Quebec, respondents spent Cn$174.6 million
• Annually, this market is worth more than $1 billion to Quebec
• It is a growing market because of the ageing population
• 800,000 people in Quebec have a disability
• They travel for business, visit family and friends, and enjoy the tourist and cultural attractions Québec has to offer
• 64% were aged 55 and over
• 28% had family incomes of over $40,000
• In the 24 months prior to the survey, 59% took at least one trip, with the average being nearly six trips
• The average length of stay in Québec was four days, which is a longer stay than for the overall population
• Many people with disabilities travel with their families (64%) or with friends (12%)

This study, and a separate study conducted in 2010 for Kéroul of this tourism sector in neighbouring regions (i.e. Ontario, New Brunswick and New England), show that that people with disabilities represent a significant economic potential for Québec.

Kéroul is a non-profit organization founded in 1979 and key consultant for Tourisme Québec regarding accessibility.  It works in partnership with the private and public sectors to increase the accessibility of tourism and cultural infrastructures for people with limited physical ability. The creator of The Accessible Road, Kéroul received the prestigious Ulysses Award in 2011 from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Source: Kéroul

The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) reports that the Polibienestar Research Institute at the University of Valencia has won a “Turismo Accesible’ (Accessible Tourism) prize.  The prize was awarded by the University of Antonio de Nebrija and Fundación ACS have awarded for research analyzing the impact of tourism on the functional health of seniors, and the potential use of social tourism as social policy for promoting active and healthy ageing. The research was carried out by Mireia Ferri, Stephanie Carretero and Jorge Garcés. The research supports the objectives the European Strategy 2020 which – through the “Innovation Partnership on Healthy and Active Ageing” and the “European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations (2012)” –  aims to improve people’s life while ageing, as well as sustain healthcare and social systems. The objectives also intend to raise people’s awareness about the challenges of ageing and the best ways to tackle these challenges.

The study shows a significant relationship between tourism and a better self-perceived health, better physical and mental health, ability carry out the “Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)” independently,  and less use of social and health services. The implications of these positive connections could affect the social and health systems in the way that people who feel better would use both care services to a lesser extent. Consequently, governments could see reduced spending in these areas. Accessible Social Tourism could be used as social and health policy in order to provide a better quality of life for seniors and to reduce their associated costs for governments.

Tourism habits revealed during the study included: a preference for hotel accommodation, organizing through travel agents and leisure centres, high use of packaged tours, and high preference for travel in spring and autumn due to the weather.

The years of work by a number of bodies in improving access in London in the lead up to the London Olympics and Paralympics (27 July-9 September) is now very evident. The Olympics and Paralympics will bring an extra 11 million visitors to London. Here are just some of the developments.

Transport for All in the UK (TfA), an NGO that has been working for two decades to further the cause of accessible transport in London today launched its new accessible transport information pages.   The Getting to the Games page is aimed at people who want to know how to access each of London’s transport services during Games time, including accessible parking and travelling into London from other areas of the UK. The Avoiding the disruption page contains information for disabled and older Londoners who want to get around as usual during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Access and facilities at each train station can be found on the National Rail website (station tool), and the website also has an Accessible Rail Travel page.  There is a journey planner available on the London 2012 site, which includes estimated journey times, and a place to download a complete map of all London’s train and tube services, including accessible stations.

Inside all venues, there will be a Games Mobility Service. They will provide wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and scooters. They can also assist visually impaired visitors to their seats.  Vehicles at all venues can be pre-booked until mid-April. After that, vehicles can be requested on arrival at a venue on the day, on a first come, first served basis.

Inclusive London  (The Greater London Authority and Direct Enquiries) also have produced and access guide to all of the Olympic venues with a key to the meaning of symbols used.  Direct Enquiries, The Nationwide Access Register, was developed in partnership with RADAR and the Employers’ Forum on Disability to provide people with information about disabled access in buildings and premises all across the UK. The register has expanded since its creation to include additional information for parents such as pushchair access.

Inclusive London also has on its website information about accessible hotels, restaurants, pubs, entertainment and attractions, healthcare, shopping, and public services. It also provides information about these facilities around Great Britain.  Another website with invaluable information about access in London and in the UK is Tourism For All.  Well worth a visit.

Travel professionals – including independent and hosted agents – should stop viewing the special needs sector – including those travellers who have a disability – as a niche market and instead see it as a mainstream service option, says Andrew J. Garnett, president and CEO of theFlorida-based Special Needs Group/Special Needs at Sea (SNG).   Garnett says agents will see more requests to support special needs travelers and should be prepared.  This will be partly due to the growth in the number of people with disabilities with the growth in the percentage of Baby Boomers who are ageing (disability increases with age).   American Baby Boomers and mature adults took 340 million domestic vacations in 2006 and 110 million international trips from 2004-2006. The mature market alone spent $192 billion in travel expenditures. These markets contain many “slow walkers” individuals who do not consider  themselves disabled, but who could benefit from special needs products and services, Garnett says.

Garnett notes that some 63 million Americans (20%) have a disability and roughly 10 million aged 15 and older use a walking aid such as a cane or walker. An estimated 3.3 million use a wheelchair, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  The data is dated but Americans with disabilities spent $13.6 billion on travel in 2002 (the latest data available) and that spending is likely to have kept pace with the aging of the U.S. population and growing numbers of disabled. Studies show that 24 million disabled Americans would travel/travel more frequently if their special needs were met.

SNG has a professional education program (SNG Certified Accessible Travel Advocate) that can act as credits toward Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) certification. The one-hour, three-module program focuses on understanding accessible travel, building expertise in accessible travel and demonstrating accessible travel advocacy skills. “This initiative represents the first time travel professionals can become conversant with this market segment through online study and testing,” Garnett says. The program is presented in a non-commercial format with the focus purely on content.  It now has nearly 400 agent participants suggesting solid interest in serving the special needs market.  “Access to reliable disabled services – a wheelchair or scooter, for example – may be the difference between going or not going on the trip. Access to resources can be a key to families traveling together or for small groups.”

Garnett credits many suppliers – airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, hoteliers and destinations with opening opportunities for disabled travelers. “Access to special needs equipment and expertise has helped expand demand.”

In 2011, the New Zealand National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) commissioned the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) to conduct research into the tourism, travel, and hospitality experiences and needs of people with hearing impairments.   Hearing impairment ranges from slight hearing loss to total loss. The research was led by Dr. Sandra Rhodda, Research Programme Leader in Access Tourism. The research included two surveys, one for residents of New Zealand (“NZ”) and one for residents of countries other than NZ (called Internationals, or “Int”) who are deaf or have hearing loss.   The aim of the research was to find out what it is like to travel with hearing loss, how the travel experiences of hearing impaired people can be improved, to establish what people with hearing loss want in terms of tourism products and services, and to offer a better understanding of Access Tourism as a legitimate tourism market.  It also evaluated the case for the development of a ‘Hearing Tick’ for tourism businesses that cater for people with hearing loss.

In summary, the survey found that

• The top four reasons why NZ and Int respondents travel in general are: for enjoyment (84%/91%), to connect with friends, family or partner (84%/59%), to have new experiences (65%/72%), and for relaxation (53%/57%).  In other words, for the same reasons as people without hearing loss travel.
• NZ respondents on average took 7.18 overnight domestic trips during 2010; this is more than the number of domestic overnight trips (4.2) taken by NZers in general. NZ respondents took either one (30%), two (11%), or three or more (10%) international trips during 2010. Forty-nine percent did not travel internationally.
• The primary reasons NZ respondents took their most recent domestic trip were to be with friends and family (31%), to holiday (25%), for business (11%), or to attend conferences (10%).
• The majority (82%) of NZ respondents travelled with at least one other person on their most recent domestic trip – mainly a spouse or partner (73%). Eighteen percent travelled alone.
• On their most recent domestic trip, NZ respondents stayed an average of 4.6 nights away from home, and spent on average $107 per person per day on transport, accommodation, activities and attractions, and food and beverage.
• Thirty-three percent of Int respondents took between three and five domestic overnight trips in their own country. The mean number of domestic overnight trips taken by Int respondents was 6.8.
• Forty percent of Int respondents did not take any international trips during 2010. Of those who did travel internationally, the majority (83%) took between one and three trips.
• Forty-three percent of Int respondents have previously visited NZ, 47% have never visited NZ but plan to do so one day; 10% have never visited and have no plans to do so.
• For those Int respondents who have been to NZ, the main reasons for their last visit were ‘holiday’ (42%), to be with friends and/or family (15%), and to attend a conference or similar event (13%).   The majority (83%) of Int respondents who visited NZ travelled with at least one other person on their  last visit – mainly their spouse or partner. Seventeen percent of Int respondents travelled by themselves to NZ.  On their last visit to NZ, Int respondents stayed an average of 13.2 days.
• Just under half (46%) of NZ respondents are somewhat dissatisfied with the number of domestic overnight trips they currently take. Factors that prevent these respondents from travelling more domestically are cost (74%), a concern that their hearing needs will not be met (37%), and difficulty finding information about access for visitors with hearing loss (24%).  Fifty-nine percent of NZ respondents ‘agree’ or ‘somewhat agree’ that they would take more domestic overnight trips if the level of service for people with hearing loss across the tourism industry in NZ was improved.
• Just under half (43%) of Int respondents are somewhat dissatisfied with the number of international trips they currently take. Factors preventing Int visitors from taking more international trips are cost (73%), time constraints (54%), concerns that their hearing needs will not be met (33%), and difficulty finding information about access for visitors with hearing loss (25%).
• Both NZ and Int respondents agree (mean 4.4-4.6 out of 5) that the most important access needs when travelling away from home include customer service staff who have a ‘can-do’ attitude and the provision of reliable information. This includes information about safety in clear print, emergency alarms in public areas that are visual as well as audible, public audio announcements also provided in text on TV screens, and customer service staff who are knowledgeable about serving guests with hearing loss.
• When asked what other things would make their travel more enjoyable and accessible, both NZ and Int respondents highlighted the importance of understanding, patient staff trained to know how to accommodate people with hearing loss, how to meet their needs, and what to do in an emergency.
• Over two-thirds (70%) of NZ and half (52%) of Int respondents indicated that it is difficult to find information about NZ tourism products that are accessible to people with hearing loss.
• Forty-two percent of NZ and 29% of Int respondents agreed with the statement that ‘information about services for the hearing impaired is often wrong or misleading’.
• The reasons most often stated by both NZ and Int respondents for not seeking information about NZ tourism products were: a lack of knowledge on how to seek information and a perception that it is too hard to find. Some also think the information does not exist, and that businesses do not cater for people with hearing loss.
• The majority of NZ (90%) and over half (55%) of Int respondents feel that the level of service in the NZ tourism industry for people with hearing loss needs to be improved.
• Nearly two thirds (60%) of NZ and three quarters of Int respondents indicate they would ‘often’ return to a tourism business that has good services for people with hearing loss; 64% and 76% would tell friends and family about such a business.
• The majority of both NZ (88%) and Int (89%) respondents think it is a good idea to have a hearing-rating symbol that NZ businesses could use to show they are accessible to people with hearing loss.
• The main reasons given by both domestic and Int respondents for saying the use of a ‘hearing tick’ is a good idea are: to show that people with hearing loss are accepted and provided for, to reduce anxiety and frustration, to make the business easily recognisable, to promote awareness by businesses of people with hearing loss, and to improve first time and repeat patronage by people with hearing loss.
• The majority of NZ (83%) and Int (91%) respondents indicate that they would visit a website that had reliable information on tourism businesses in NZ that cater for people with hearing loss.

The full report can be found on the NZTRI site and on the NFD site.

Baby Boomers in the USA are a quarter of the population, control 80% of personal financial assets and over 50% of discretionary spending, make 77% of prescription drug purchases, and 61% of over-the-counter medication sales. And Boomers are ageing.  By limiting themselves to wooing younger generations, businesses risk shunning a demographic that will continue to be a significant influence in business and political decisions in the U.S. and other developed countries with declining birth rates, writes Michael Janger for brandchannel.com.   Michael goes on to point out that marketers should also be aware of a market that millions of Boomers will become part of because of debilitating conditions associated with aging: people with disabilities.  The disability market currently cannot be ignored: more than 54 million Americans have a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

For decades, consumers who are over 60 have generally been treated as a separate entity in consumer purchasing decisions, as infirmities associated with aging give rise to products and services that specifically accommodate them.   For decades, marketers were used to advertising to younger people  because they typically represented the largest age group.  This group is ageing and Baby Boomers present a challenge for brands that want to capture the aging market, but are not well equipped to understand what the market wants.  A pioneering report from AT Kearney called “What do Mature Consumers Want?” surveyed almost 3,000 people in 23 countries. It found that ”retailers will deal with older consumers who will have difficulty reading labels in their stores, and who need a place to sit down and relax while shopping. For businesses that focus on efficiency for busy younger consumers with little free time, this will be a major change in their retailing philosophy.”   In fact, Boomers are a huge opportunity to engage a new set of brand loyalists. By understanding and adapting to the shifting needs of mature consumers, including looking to lessons learned from marketing to disabled consumers, they can figure out ways to make their products and messages reach a much wider and deeper audience of influencers. As Boomers increasingly cope with the challenges that millions of people with disabilities have been dealing with every day, the consequences could be profound.

To see Michael’s full article, go to brandchannel.com

Barbados Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy told a recent Inclusive Tourism Symposium that the economic benefits of making Barbados fully accessible to all tourists should not be ignored. Noting that in Barbados’ fourth largest market , Canada, people with disabilities account for Can$25 billion in consumer spending, and noting that 2.7 million Britains with disabiites travel annually, Sealy pointed out that it was important to recognize the value of creating accessible spaces for all. He urged   that the efforts by the tourism industry in Barbados to improve accessibility continue and increase. The Ministry has fully supported the development of a Fully Accessible Barbados programme which has just launched a new website to highlight accessible areas on the island.

Scott Rains, of the highly regarded Rolling Rains Report also spoke at the forum, where he pointed out that creating accessibleenvironments not only benefited people with disabilities, but retirees of the “silver tsunami”, who have the time, money, and desire to travel.

Congratulations to Salzburg, winners of the European Commission 2012 Access City Award for excellent infrastructure for disabled citizens. The Award recognizes European cities with over 50,000 inhabitants which take exemplary initiatives to improve accessibility in the urban environment.  In the context of a steadily ageing population living in European cities and its correlation with disabilities, accessibility has important social and economic benefits.  This initiative is organized in partnership with the European Disability Forum and Age Platform Europe assists in selecting the winner.

The award is given to the city that:

• has demonstrably improved accessibility in fundamental aspects of city living:
  • the built environment and public spaces;
  • transport and related infrastructure;
  • information and communication, including Information and Communication Technologies (ICT);
  • public facilities and services.
• is committed to continued improvements in accessibility in a sustainable way;
• can act as a role model and encourage the adoption of best practices in all other European cities.

Three finalist “runners-up” were Kraków (Poland), Marburg (Germany), and Santander (Spain). The European Jury also decided to attribute special mentions in each of the four key areas of accessibility. These went to:

• Terrassa (Spain) for the built environment and public spaces Ljubljana (Slovenia) for transport and related infrastructures
• Olomouc (Czech Republic) for information and communication, including new technologies
• Grenoble (France) for public facilities and services

Two new text books on accessible tourism are available through the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) from Channel View Publications. The first is “Concepts and Issues” (eds: Dimitrios Buhalis and Simon Darcy), which sets out to  explore and document the current theoretical approaches, foundations and issues  in the study of accessible tourism.  Professor Nigel Morgan, The Welsh Centre for Tourism Research states that this volume harnesses “the best conceptual  developments on the topic” and that it will “take accessible tourism and universal design debates into the mainstream of academic enquiryand industry practice“

The second volume is “Best Practice in Accessible Tourism” (eds: Buhalis, Darcy, and Ivor Ambrose).  It focuses on policy and best practice in accessible tourism, reflecting the ”state-of -the-art” as expressed in a selection of international chapters. It brings together global expertise in planning, design and management to inform and stimulate providers of travel, transport, accommodation, leisure and tourism services to serve guests with disabilities, seniors and the wider markets that require good accessibility. Chapter 8, written by Sandra Rhodda of Access Tourism New Zealand, describes the state of accessible tourism in this country.  Overall, the book gives ample evidence that accessible tourism organisations and destinations can expand their target markets as well as improve the quality of their service offering, leading to greater customer satisfaction, loyalty and expansion of business.  Accessible tourism is not only about providing access to people with disabilities but also it addresses the creation of universally designed environments that can support people that may have temporary disabilities, families with young children, the ever increasing ageing population as well as creating a safer environment for employees to work. Noel Scott, of the University of Queensland, Australia says that the volume “provides a ‘state-of-the-art” assessment of both theory and practice. This book establishes a new field of study and provides the benchmark against which other contributions will be judged. It integrates the work of all the key players and should be read by academics, managers and government policy makers.”

The 2011 M-Enabling Summit and Showcase for Mobile Applications and Services for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities will bring together leaders in the global emerging mobile accessibility eco-system to foster discussion and decision-making among mobile technology, aging and disability experts, and policy professionals in the United States and abroad. The Summit’s Inaugural Briefing Session, hosted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will cover the latest legislative and regulatory steps taken by the United States and other countries on mobile accessibility. The event is presented by the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict) and E.J. Krause & Associates (in cooperation with the  International Telecommunication Union and the FCC.  Participants will include representatives from AT&T, Verizon, W3C, Daisy Consortium, the AAPD, AFB, and UNCRPD, amongst others.

Key tracks will highlight new innovations addressing the specific needs of users living with different types of disability, as well as major emerging market opportunities, such as accessible and assistive applications and solutions for travel and tourism.

“More than 5.4 billion mobile phones are in service today while, according to the latest WHO-World Bank Report on Disability, 1 billion persons live with disabilities – 54 million in the United States alone – including a large proportion of seniors,” said conference co-organizer Axel Leblois, Executive Director of G3ict. “The M-Enabling Summit will be the first opportunity for all stakeholders involved to participate in a groundbreaking sharing of experience among mobile industry, private sector leaders, senior and disability organizations, IT professionals, operators, apps developers, government, and accessibility experts.”

The Summit will be held in Washington D.C. from December 5-6, 2011 at the Gaylord
National Resort and Convention Center at National Harbor.

The travel industry should be targeting the over-55 market because fewer students can afford to travel on gap years, says Post Office Travel Insurance, UK. The company says that UK students starting their degrees in 2012 are expected to face an average debt of 56,000 pounds on graduation, compared with around 27,000 pounds if they began their studies this September.  With increased university fees, only 19% of students are considering a gap year or extended break this year.

In contrast, 25% of over 55s Brits plan to take a break of three months or longer, spending more than £4,000 each.  And – importantly for New Zealand – the most popular destinations for “grey gappers” are Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Recent research has shown that people in their 50s who have always wanted to escape are saying: “Let’s just do it”. They are trekking in Borneo, going on a cruise around the world, climbing the Himalayas, or exploring Alaska. There is definitely a desire to do something exciting.  ‘It is often the first thing that a lot of people do when they have retired. They go on a very long holiday’  (Ros Altmann, Saga).

Scandic – which has 160 hotels in the Nordic region and Northern Europe - is intensifying its successful focus on improved accessibility for visitors with disabilities and others who want improved access. This year, over 100 new accessible rooms will be added to the portfolio and 2012 there will be even more to meet the large and growing demand. Scandic says that more and more companies and organisations seek rooms and conference facilities that are accessible to all.  At the same time the numbers of older, active private travellers who are  attracted by improved accessibility are increasing. Improving accessibility has proven to be a commercial success for Scandic.

Design for All is a key concept in Scandic’s accessibility work. The aim is for the accessible rooms to  be just as well designed as any other room, with practical solutions that go  almost unnoticed, except by those who really need them. Hooks, mirrors and keyholes at two heights are appreciated by children, short adults and those who use a wheelchair. Height-adjustable beds and extra spacious bathrooms are  popular with all guests. Scandic’s comprehensive 110-point accessibility  programme covers everything from team member training to adapted rooms and extensive, detailed accessibility information on every hotel’s website.

“When we take over a hotel, we implement our accessibility programme within three months and, after just one year, we tend to notice more bookings from private guests and from companies and organisations, thanks to our accessibility work. This gives us a clear competitive advantage and, as well as showing our commitment to social responsibility, we see major commercial benefits in being accessible to all,” says  Magnus Berglund, Disability Ambassador at Scandic.

New hotels require smart new solutions

A lowered reception desk for wheelchair users, a guest computer in the lobby at a comfortable height for a wheelchair and an ordinary chair, a hearing loop in conference facilities and reception, and vibrating alarm clocks that also hear the fire alarms are just some examples of smart solutions that ensure a high level of accessibility.   Scandic’s accessibility work remains a core focus in  its new and refurbished hotels, with numerous examples of best practice. To read about these, continue here:

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In the USA in the past decade, many grandparents have seen substantial and real increases in their household income while their offspring have fallen behind (Metlife).  The percentage of inflation-adjusted household income that accrued to households ages 55 or older has risen from 28% to 34%, which meant a real income increase for those households of $659 billion. During that same decade, the total real income of households ages 25 to 44 (most of whom were the adult children of those ages 55 or older) declined from 43% to 36%, which meant a real aggregate income loss of $312 billion.  Despite wide economic variation, the economic impact of a record number of relatively affluent grandparents is both substantial and growing rapidly. Consumer spending by households ages 55 or older, the vast majority of which are grandparents, has been rising at rates well above inflation and faster by far than any other age category.  Some results?   Older customers now dominate the Tablet and eReader market, so that 51% of owners are 45 years old or older (Neilsen), and grandparents are responsible for 25% of all toy sales in the USA.  What does this mean for marketers?  A Silver Group Asia reports on almost 15,000 responses to a poll on Asian Boomer consumer thoughts, feelings and actions. Highlights include that 59% say age-friendliness is critical to their choice of product or service (they are more likely to buy age-friendly brands), and that this is true across product types (sports gear, clothing, skin care, bank/insurance, or airlines).  More (82%) are very likely or likely to place importance on age-friendly advertising, social network reviews (72%), age-friendly retail environments (63% ) age-friendly websites (42%), and age-friendly product service and design.

A study by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research estimated that one in 10 visitors to Montana arrived on a motorcycle. That’s about 1 million people (Billings Gazette).    And increasing numbers are older riders on big cruising or touring bikes. Survey data from the Motorcycle Industry Council, a private industry group, shows that the median age of bikers increased from 27.1 in 1985 to 41 in 2003. At the same time, the percentage of owners in the 40-to-49 age group increased from 13.2 to 27.9 percent, and the percentage of owners 50 or older went from 8.1 to 25.1.  That means more than half of owners are 40 or older, supplanting the once-dominant 15-to-29 age group. The transition to older motorcycle owners started to make its statistical presence known as early as 1990, and has been edging up since.

Meanwhile, the American Motorcyclist Association’s latest data shows the average age of motorcyclists is even older, at 48.

The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) will give a presentation at the 2011 World Travel Market Conference in London 7-10 November.  The presentation will include a round-up of the key issues in making tourism offers accessible and  inclusive for all visitors. Highlighting will be the latest market data and research findings which show how businesses and destinations are winning market share by offering accessible infrastructure and services.  Also discussed will be how England is making ready for all visitors to enjoy the London Olympic and paralympic Games 2012.  Tourist Boards, DMOs, attractions, hotels, airlines and booking agents can all play a part in catering for the growing market of seniors, families with young children and people with disabilities, and information will be provided on how it’s done and where to begin.   ENAT is a non-profit association of organisations and individuals from the private, public and NGO sectors. Their mission is to make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all visitors and to help promote Accessible Tourism around the world.

Recently, Tourism New Zealand launched its new-look New Zealand Travel website that is the official site for Tourism New Zealand (TNZ).  TNZ is the official organization responsible for marketing New Zealand to the world as a tourist destination.  However, the site is not very user-friendly for people with disabilities. Here Chris Lona, of CL Design, demonstrates how the site could look if access issues were taken into consideration.

While the existing official Tourism New Zealand site engages visitors with imagery and contains lots of “content”, it does not engage all of the senses for people, or accommodate people with disabilities the way it could.  On the NZ site, a visually disabled person would probably need to use their screen reader to access the text information. A baby boomer might need a magnifying glass to be able to read the text.   Most screen readers sound like a computer voice and are OK for accessing data but don’t provide the best experience. People don’t talk to people that way. Seems like a fabulous destination like NZ would be promoted in the most engaging and human way possible.

To show what could be achieved in making the website accessible to all, we created a demonstration New Zealand tourism multimedia presentation (demonstration only)to show how people with disabilities (and everyone else) can start their NZ experience when they go to our online presentation rather than when they arrive in NZ.   With our presentation they can hear the human voice describing a full screen scene with pleasant background music and see large type as another option.

On the NZ site a hearing impaired person would probably have no problem reading all of the information. If they go to the YouTube channel or watch videos on the site however there is no closed captioning of those videos.

With our presentation they can see the motion of the full screen presentation with access to large type with the click of a mouse, the press of the “T” key on their keyboard or the press of a large button on a mobile/touch screen device. Our presentation provides the interactivity and information of a website with the motion and audio of video.

The NZ site is geared, as most sites are, toward visitors using a mouse to navigate the site with standard buttons and links.   A physically disabled person may have difficulties using a mouse. Our presentations can be accessed with a mouse but also with the press of a key on a keyboard or one of our large buttons on a touch screen.

A person with ADD or Dyslexia has problems with focus. Too much copy and text can make it difficult for them to absorb information. Our human audio narrated presentations eliminate the need for a lot of copy and text that has to be read by people with these types of disabilities.

The NZ site is designed for browser viewing and is severely compromised on a mobile device. To remedy this, there would need to be a separate application developed or a site redesign with mobile in mind.  Our presentations function exactly the same on a mobile device as they do on a browser (device must be Flash enabled).   No need for a separate application.

While the NZ site is innovative in certain ways it is very typical, and even trendy, in others.   The larger images are the best feature; a place as beautiful as NZ should certainly be highlighted in this way.   However there is obvious pandering to the popularity of the social media trend. The option for people to write and edit articles is an obvious attempt to leverage this trend. Not surprisingly – as of July 2011 – there are seemingly few visitor articles and no “likes” or “tweets”. If a visitor does wish to write an article they are required to set up an account and/or login in order to do so. In doing this social media functionality they are contributing to the over- abundance and glut of data instead of focusing on making the visitor’s experience the best it can possibly be. It does not seem likely that someone considering a trip or move to NZ would come to this site, create an account and write an article. Time will tell…

Our presentations can include social media “gadgets” below the presentation so that people can leave comments and provide their input if desired.

The best of both worlds would be an augmentation of the NZ site with the types of presentations we create. Any of the existing presentations on the NZ site could be augmented with “click here for the access-enhanced, multimedia version of this presentation”. When clicked the visitor would be taken to one of our presentations for that topic. Able-bodied visitors would still be able to use all of the features of the existing NZ site and the disabled and baby boomers could access the benefits of a more experiential version of the page. It would also show a definitive commitment by NZ to accommodating people with disabilities and older visitors.

For information about Chris and how to contact him, and for other demonstrations, see here.

The over fifties are more mobile and more active than ever before. Between 2005 and 2010 vacation travel by Europeans aged 55 and over expanded by 17 per cent. This age group as a whole accounted for 27% of all trips abroad, or 78 million holiday trips. As far as holiday preferences are concerned, the over fifties are increasingly distancing themselves from the clichés associated with traditional travel by senior citizens.  While beach holidays outstrip any other type of vacation in Europe, and are even gaining in popularity, individual countries have their own preferences. At the same time, city tours, cruises and excursions have experienced a significant boost among the over fifty-fives.

According to an analysis commissioned by Messe Berlin and carried out by the World Travel Monitor^®, the most important source markets for the over fifties are the United Kingdom with 16.1 million and Germany with 15.3 million vacation trips. While foreign travel by members of the so-called silver age group from Britain has risen by 28% since 2005, the German market has stagnated. In third and fourth place respectively are France with 7.2 million and the Netherlands with 6.9 million trips. These four countries alone account for almost 60% of all travellers in the over-55 age group.

Dr. Martin Buck, director of the Competence Centre Travel and Logistics at Messe Berlin: “Socio-demographic change in Europe presents a major challenge as well as offering enormous opportunities. As the number of older vacationers rises, so this target group acquires growing importance for the travel industry as a whole. That is why it is so important for the world’s travel industry to be informed about the requirements, demands and wishes of the over fifties with regard to their travel plans.”

With a 28% share of the market, holidays at beach resorts are by far the most popular choice among Europe’s over fifties, and are the most vigorously expanding sector too, the number of such trips having increased by four million since 2005 (a 22% rise). The city tour sector has also expanded significantly (a 16% share of the market). In this area the volume of over fifty-fives grew by 3 million (a 32% rise), followed by cruises, with an increase of 2.4 million trips by people in this age group, and excursions, with a rise of 2.1 million. There was also slight growth across Europe in sports and health-oriented holidays.

Other countries reveal different holiday preferences. According to the World Travel Monitor^® there has been a strong decline in the interest shown by Germany’s so-called silver age group in holidays on the beach (3.8 million trips less, minus 18%). All the same, they remain the most popular type of vacation. The winners are smaller market segments such as health-based vacations (0.7 million trips, plus 61%), cruises (0.9 million trips, plus 64%), sports holidays (1 million trips, plus 53%) and city tours (2 million trips, plus 30%).  In the United Kingdom the beach is still the most popular form of vacation, by a short head. Among the French, however, excursions are roughly of the same importance as vacations at beach resorts. Although in the Netherlands the over fifties who travel abroad still tend to prefer holidays in the countryside, the biggest expansion has been recorded in city tours and holidays on the beach.

To find out more about the World Travel Monitor^® and the largest international travel industry event, continue reading……. Continue Reading

More and more people with disabilities or people who are seniors (Access Tourists)  are travelling in Japan.  There is plenty of information available for Japanese-speaking Access Tourists, but until recently, very little for speakers of other languages.  In January, a non-profit organization called the Japan Accessible Tourism Center  (JATC) set up a website which provides such information in several languages, including English to provide information about the many barrier-free tourism products available and about universal design tourism centers. The website provides information about transport, accommodation, shopping, eating, and attractions, amongst other things, and is constantly being added to.  JATC also assists with making arrangements for care attendants, booking accommodations, offering tips for travelling, providing assistance in case of emergency problems, and other services, which are all free of charge. They also can plan and coordinate group tours or study tours.

London 2012 reports that all London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic venues will be accessible to people with disabilities and that they are committed to ensuring that there are good accessible transport options for all spectators travelling to the Games.  The London 2012 Games are delivered by two key organisations – the London 2012 Organising Committee and the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Many access improvements and service enhancements have been made for the Games to make public transport much easier for disabled people, older people and passengers travelling with children. National Rail, London Underground, London Overground and the Docklands Light Railway have all enhanced – and continue to enhance – the accessibility of their services.  Across the network, tactile warning surfaces have been, or are being, installed on platforms and staircases, and seats are available on most platforms.   Audio and visual information is available on
many trains and at many stations. A number of stations have wide-aisle, automatic ticket gates, so they can be used independently by travellers using wheelchairs or those travelling with assistance dogs or pushchairs.

London 2012 has created maps showing the accessible travel routes and stations within London and across the UK. The UK map and south-east map shows where stations are step-free with assistance available at the station and where there is assistance available at the station, but not necessarily step-free facilities. The London map shows levels of step-free facilities and staff assistance at stations across London.  At some venues, accessible shuttles capable of providing transport to multiple wheelchair users will be provided solely for spectators with accessibility
needs. All venues will have free, managed, secure cycle parking suitable for
all types of cycles, including hand bicycles, recumbent and children’s bicycles.

Information for people with accessibility needs is available on the London 2012 website, and – if you are travelling around London but not to the Games – on the Inclusive London website.

The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) reports that the European Union Access City Awards applications for 2011 are open.  The Access City Award sets out to showcase and reward cities with over 50,000 inhabitants which take exemplary initiatives to improve accessibility in the urban environment.  In the context of a steadily ageing population living in European cities and its correlation with disabilities, accessibility has important social and economic benefits.  Cities which are proactive supporters of accessibility for persons with disabilities should apply by 20 September 2011. The winner will be announced at the Award Ceremony in Brussels on 1-2 December 2011. The award is given to the city that has demonstrably improved accessibility

• in fundamental aspects of city  living
• the built environment and public  spaces
• transport and related infrastructure
• information and communication,  including Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
• public facilities and services; and
• is committed to continued  improvements in accessibility in a sustainable way
• can act as a role model and encourage  the adoption of best practices in all other European cities.

Contact
European Secretariat of the Access City Award
Email: secretariat (at) accesscityaward.eu
Tel / fax +48 22 826 84 05