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

Accessible and inclusive tourism has been little researched or developed in New Zealand (NZ).  One study published in 2007  showed that tourism operators do not understand this market, think it insignificant, and think their businesses accessible when they are mostly not.  Erroneous access information is often given to potential visitors with disabilities, buildings housing tourism information sites are often inaccessible, and tourism websites – including a government-run website – are often difficult or impossible to access.  In addition accessible tourism is not part of NZ’s tourism strategy.  This is in spite of the fact that comparatively rich Baby Boomers and seniors were- recently recognized by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT – now part of the Ministry of Economic Development) as NZ’s largest domestic market, and recognized by them as a market with members who may not travel because of health and disability concerns (Segmentation Report).

On the local level, while two or three councils have begun to include considerations of access in tourism information (albeit mostly through business self-assessment of access), most councils have no plans to develop accessible tourism (council survey).  Only about half of Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) know of the few accessible tourism businesses in their area, and few promote these businesses as accessible.  Only two of the  approximately 30 RTOs (and one of the approximately 80 councils) sent a representative to the first NZ accessible tourism conference in October 2010, showing that there is still little interest in this sector.

While no-one from the MoT –  or from its promotional agency Tourism NZ – attended that inaugural  conference, the central government – spurred on by holding the Rugby World Cup in 2011 – funded an NGO called Be Accessible to (amongst other things) create and administer access assessments of businesses.  In a major step forward, about 20 accommodation businesses, 70 activities and attraction), and 50 eateries and retail outlets have been assessed and listed on their website.  These are predominantly Auckland businesses, but the Auckland council tourism website does not carry or link to this information.   Be.Accessible has also posted access tips, a toolkit, and checklists.

The most recent NZ research – funded by the NZ National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) and undertaken by the NZ Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) and by AccessTourismNZ – examined the tourism, travel, and hospitality experiences and needs of local and international people with hearing loss.  The research shows that they travel for the same reasons as others, mostly travel with others, and would like to travel more but are prevented from doing so by cost and concern that their hearing needs will not be met.  Their most important access travel needs are good customer service, staff who have a “can-do” attitude, and reliable information about access for people with hearing loss, which they often find wrong or misleading.  The majority (90%) of NZ respondents and over half (55%) of international respondents feel that the level of service in the NZ tourism industry for visitors with hearing loss needs to be improved.

Apart from the work mentioned above, no other research on accessible tourism in New Zealand has been carried out.  In fact, there is more interest overseas in what NZ accessible tourism is like than there is in this country.  For example, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) sponsored AccessTourismNZ to talk about the NZ situation at an internationa conference in Japan in 2010, and ENAT and Fundacion ONCE did so for an international conference in Spain in 2011.  In NZ, there is little will to understand, discuss, attract, and accommodate this large and growing market.

An older, more extensive report on the state of accessible tourism in New Zealand is available here.

Members of the European Network of Accessible Tourism (ENAT) are leading a workshop on accessible tourism in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and participating in the Saudi Travel Market conference in Riyadh today.  The conference highlights the investment opportunities and the available potential in the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investments Market, and covers the tourism development strategies related to the business sector. Saudi Arabia generates a combined annual tourism market of 10.4 billion Euro, and is one of the top 22 inbound travel markets in the world. Inbound tourism has risen by 11% over the last two years. Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry is greatly under served and requires billions of Saudi Riyals in investment to develop to its full potential and is poised for extensive expansion and growth.

Accessible Tourism for All will be the theme of an evening workshop session at the conference in Riyadh on 3rd April and at a one-day Workshop in Jeddah.   The workshops are being held under the auspices of the Saudi Commission for Tourism  and Antiquities and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, respectively, and with the  participation of the Arab Tourism Organisation and the Prince Salman Centre for  Disability Research, amongst others.  Workshop speakers will present and discuss their experiences, research results and strategic plans from countries, destinations and attractions in Europe and the Middle East, showing how accessibility for people with disabilities and other specific requirements is being integrated in all parts of the tourism value chain.  They will discuss experiences and strategies with the Arab tourism sector, public authorities, chambers of commerce, researchers and NGOs.

Carlo Fidanza, European People’s Party (EPP) Group member in the European Parliament recently proposed a project on accessible tourism which will soon become a pilot project of the European Commission.  The proposal came at a meeting in Brussels which looked at accessibility of destinations, accommodations, and information within the EU’s new tourism strategy.  It was proposed that these “become fully accessible to people with disabilities, so that they become tourists not only in name, but in their own right and increase their travel requests. This does not only represent the protection of a right but also the investment in a very strategic area of the economy”.   The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 271 Members. The meeting was chaired by Adam Kosa MEP and Rosa Estaras Ferragut MEP – with the participation of the Vice President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani.

“Tourism policy in relation to disability offers a great opportunity to develop employment in the tourism sector. Business strategies and policies should encourage the development and professionalization of accessible tourism. That’s one key to improving the sector’s competitiveness and the attractiveness of destinations” said Estaras Ferragut

For further information:
Carlo FIDANZA MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845168
Ádám KÓSA MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845208
Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT MEP, Tel: +32-2-2845163

Elisabetta Montano, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-478-933978

@EPPGroup

Guest blog by Mike Prescott, BSc, MBA,  former manager of  2010 Legacies Now in British Columbia, Canada, and Principal, everyoneincluded. Mike is an access strategist with over 20 years experience working with people with disabilities in a variety of roles.  His expertise lie s in the area of strategic planning, social media and network analysis, knowledge management, and iclusion programming.  Twitter, @every1included

Think Seamless Experiences

Accessible and inclusive travel provides opportunities for everyone but in particular meets the needs of people with disabilities, ageing seniors, families with small children and the people they travel with. They are currently the largest and fastest growing segment of the travel market but remain the most under-served. This means they are an opportunity for forward thinking organizations that want to be more competitive in today’s tight economic environment and realize a sustainable competitive advantage.

If you are a destination management organization, chamber of commerce or international chain resort, the way to promote an inclusive travel experience and exceed expectations is think seamless. What does this mean? It means that you design and deliver services from end-to-end from the traveler’s perspective and promote them honestly.

The experience life cycle often begins by promoting all the great things you have to offer. This is your chance to help people “imagine themselves” there -staying in your hotel, eating at your restaurant or watching a performance in your theatre. Imagery and language can be powerful and inspirational but they must remain authentic and avoid tokenism. To achieve this delicate balance, consult experts that understand your target market and the levers they respond to.

Moving from awareness to decision making requires trusted information. This can be achieved through multiple channels. Offering detailed information about the physical layout and nature of your services through the web is an effective way. On-site opportunities are also useful to draw in people as they pass by your establishment  (serendipity can get a helping hand). A word of advice here: if your business includes a registration component, make sure there are options for noting special needs if needed. For instance, if you have accessible suites listed on your website, make sure there is a way of reserving them. There is nothing worse than arriving at your destination only to find that the only accessible room has been given to someone else.

This transitions into the welcoming stage nicely. This is often your best opportunity to make a first impression (at least face-to-face). You don’t want to have anything that deters them from following through on the decision they have already made. This can be as simple as having signs to help people get around or friendly staff that have been trained to be responsive to all of your customer’s needs. The caution here is to not overdo it. Start with,“how can I help you” and make your way from here.

Now that you’ve successfully got them in the door, it is time to dazzle. The core of your experience should be designed with the customer in mind. Again, this includes the physical space, design of your services, staff training and orientation, policies and practices, alternative communications, adapted devices and equipment and any other need that may arise. Trying to do this last minute is not a good strategy. While you may not be perfect every time, learn from any failures and respond quickly.

Lastly, is the follow through – staying connected with customers to learn, build loyalty and extend your reach. In the world of disability, social networks can be powerful influences – for good or bad. Word travels fast and you want to be able to be in on the conversation. Reward those that endorse you and engage those that leave dissatisfied. Being quickly responsive to a bad experience can rebuild confidence and keep you in a customer’s good books. Most people who are seeking accessible and inclusive travel experiences realize that businesses are still learning and will want to
increase the number of opportunities available.

These five steps are continuous cycles of opportunity for you and your customers. To be successful in offering inclusive travel experiences, you need to understand how this will affect your ability to attract and retain a market segment that approaches 50% (this includes seniors, people with disabilities, families with small children and each of the people they travel with).

1. Promote

2. Inform

3. Welcome

4. Deliver on the experience

5. Stay connected

According to Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission, not only is making tourism more accessible a social responsibility, but there is also a compelling business case to boost the competitiveness of tourism in Europe.   Why? The population in Europe is aging: by 2050 the number of people aged over 65 will triple that of 2003 and the over-80 will be 5 times more numerous that they are at the moment.  This represents a huge market potential which today remains vastly under-served. Worldwide the number of people with impairments accounts for 600-900 million, representing a significant potential market for Europe.   Many examples show that by implementing basic adjustments to a facility, providing accurate information, and understanding the needs of disabled people, an increased number of visitors has resulted.  Also, improving the accessibility of tourism services increases the  quality and enjoyment for all tourists.  The European Commission is committed to mainstream accessibility in tourism by:

• raising awareness, sensitizing stakeholders and economic operators in the tourism sector
• gathering knowledge about demand from travellers with special access needs
• identifying options to improve the offer of accessible tourism services

The Commission has a publication on improving information on accessible tourism for people with disabilities.  It also has a programme called Calypso which aims to facilitate tourism access for groups for which going on holiday represents a difficult or even impossible undertaking.

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 Italian Ministry of Tourism has created a Manifesto promoting Accessible Tourism (English and Italian versions).   It is part of its commitment to put into effect Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  Article 30 – Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport – includes that States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to take part on an equal basis with others in cultural life, including enjoying films, theatre and other cultural activities, in accessible formats;  access to places for cultural performances or services, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism services, and, as far as possible, enjoy access to monuments and sites of national cultural importance; and access tourism venues.

Chairman of the Italian Agency for Tourism (ENIT), Matteo Marzotto said that accessibility means lack of architectural, cultural and sensory barriers.  “It relates to people with particular needs, not only regarding movement but also chronic health issues (people with food and environment allergies, the blind, the deaf or mentally disabled people, small children and the elderly, etc.). The involvement of all these visitors and their families in tourism has a great numerical as well as psychological, impact”.

Following the signing in Vicenza, in May 2011, the new Italian National Tourism Code (Decree 79 of 5/23/2011) was passed into law, to be in force from 21 June.  This marks a major step forward in the Italian legislation on Accessible Tourism.  The Minister of Tourism, Michela Vittoria Brambilla is Chair of the Executive Council Board of the UN World Tourism Organisation and in that role in Nairobi in July 2011 has proposed to 154 countries and 400 other WTO member organizations to sign up to the Manifesto. The first interested countries can sign the document already from the next UNWTO meeting which should take place in Cambodia in October.

The first international NGO to support the Manifesto is the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT).  ENAT Board Member, Dr. Angelika Laburda signed the Manifesto on behalf of ENAT at the Gitando 2011 Feira da Vicenza trade fair on 25th March 2011, along with the Minister. Laburda said that the document raises awareness of the importance of providing accessibility for all tourists.

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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This year’s November Pro-ICAT conference  Tourism For All in Malaysia will discuss just that, amongst other things.  With an emphasis on what developing accessible tourism can do to promote national and regional economic development, the conference aims to:

• highlight the existence of Accessible Tourism through hosting events that will draw attention to this niche in the tourism sector
• provide information on Accessible Tourism to the public locally and internationally
• make known to the public the obstacles and challenges in Accessible Tourism and ways to overcome them
•  encourage a tourism system in Malaysia that welcomes people with disabilities having good liaison between disabled organizations and tourism organizations so that attractions can be facilitated more systematically.
• encourage the Ministry of Tourism in Malaysia to do more research in promoting Accessible Tourism.
• advocate for the removal of architectural and transportation barriers that prevent people with disabilities from sharing fully in all aspects of our society including going for tours.

Visit Scotland – the national tourism organisation – says that that the accessible tourism market is already hugely important and is growing.  Between January – June 2009, 12% of all domestic trips to Scotland were made by visitors with access needs, or those accompanying someone who has access needs. This amounts to:

• 659 thousand trips, contributing almost £121 million to the Scottish economy in just six months, and rose to £325 million pounds for the 11 month period 2009/10.
• Senior tourists, over 55’s hold 80% of the nation’s wealth, and the 11 million disabled people in the UK have a potential spending power (disposable income) of £80b per year.

This is significantly higher than some more established targeted markets.

VisitScotland is leading an Accessible Tourism Steering Group (ATSG) with representatives from Capability Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Tourism Forum, the Scottish Government and other leading individuals from the accessible tourism industry. ATSG have planned a series of activities looking to engage and help tourism businesses to grasp emerging opportunities in accessible tourism market. The key objective of this programme is to raise awareness, alter perceptions and enable the Scottish tourism industry to better plan for accessible tourism product development.

VisitScotland has commissioned Capability Scotland to set up and run six events from August – October 2011 to engage with disabled people and find out what needs to be enhanced or changed to make Scottish tourism more accessible.   Disabled people with a range of impairments and conditions will meet with representatives from Capability and VisitScotland to talk about their experiences as a tourist in Scotland and the barriers that they face.  Recommendations will then be made to VisitScotland and the Scottish tourism industry.

Engaging the tourism industry

• Business Workshops – ATSG will attend about  12 Industry events in autumn at which they will present the findings, the statistics around the economic value of accessible tourism and run question and answer sessions.
• VisitScotland is making a film in three parts, based on the findings from the project, with interviews. This will be used to promote Accessible Tourism throughout 2011/12, with a showing of the finished film at the 2012 conference.
• Industry conference – October 2012: workshops and presentations; opportunity for businesses to ask questions in an open and helpful environment.

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.

Tourism Victoria (Australia) now has a page on Accessible Tourism about developing tourism destinations, products, and services so that they are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disability, or age.  This includes parents travelling with prams and large groups including people with disabilities.  The aim of the state government organization is to develop local and global market potential by working with the tourism industry to deliver growth.    The site presents the business case for making Victoria’s tourism industry more accessible, and points out that in Australia:

•  The population is ageing and there is a growing market for travellers with accessibility needs.
• Almost one in five people has a disability of which nearly 90% take a holiday each year.
• People with a disability account for some 8.2 million overnight trips and spend $8 billion or 11% of Australia’s overall tourism expenditure

Tourism Victoria’s Accessible Tourism Plan 2010-2013 aims to encourage the Victorian tourism industry to see the social and economic benefits of offering tourism products and services for people with access requirements and outlines strategies and actions to do this.  Many Victorian tourist attractions are now developing disability action plans.

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

The Philippines Department of Tourism pledged to eliminate barriers to travel for people with disabilities (PWDs) at a forum with tourism stakeholders and representatives from the PWD sector this week.  The government is hoping to increase visits by PwDs by suggesting that operators offer   tourists with disabilities discounts on fares, hotels, and leisure establishments to this potentially huge and under-served market segment.  The government has called on tourism businesses to apply a 20% discount – already guaranteed by law to disabled Filipinos – to all visitors with disabilities, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said.  “The trend is not to have separate services for PWDs, but for full integration in our hospitality industry.  This entails making our products suitable for persons with particular needs so that they may enjoy travel equally with everyone else.”  Because the disabled  make up about 20% of the world’s population, this is a big market.

President Benigno Aquino has singled out tourism as a key  driver of economic growth.  But the Philippines lags many of its Asian neighbours even though arrivals surged 16.68  percent to an all-time high 3.52 million visitors last year.  Lim said the government was committed to reducing their transportation constraints by making toilets, bathrooms and doors easier to use for wheelchair-userd, and putting up ramps, handrails, and installing non-skid floors.  Tourism Undersecretary Maria Victoria Jasmin  said the government was offering incentives to tourism establishments that  renovate their facilities to make them more friendly to the disabled.

Tourism for All UK will run in the northern autumn  a conference for Senior Marketing, Sales and Business Development & Owner Managers in the UK Hospitality and Tourism Industry about marketing to and service for People with Disabilities (PwDs).  Recent research by VisitEngland (England’s national tourism board) revealed that the demand for travel and leisure products from disabled people is growing rapidly, and worth £2 billion a year in domestic travel alone. Yet many businesses are missing out on a share of this market.  VisitEngland recently released a booklet which was created through a joint partnership with the Government’s Accessible Tourism Stakeholder Forum with the aim of inspiring tourism businesses to improve accessibility for customers in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games & Paralympic Games.  The booklet – “At Your Service” – describes how to capture this £2 billion market.   Around 11 million people in England have an impairment of some kind whether they are wheel chair users, have poor vision, hearing loss or learning difficulties.   Overseas, there are potentially 78 million American and 75 million European disabled visitors, friends and family.

The Tourism for All conference will look at how a focus on exceptional customer service, accurate information and clear leadership can open up a whole new market for tourism businesses, how the long term loyalty of this market can be achieved at relatively low cost, and how to maximise the opportunities offered by the huge interest in the Olympic and Paralympic Games

The conference plans to includes a great lineup of speakers.  To see these, continue reading…………………

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Thanks to funding provided by the federal government of Canada and the Prince Edward Island (PEI) provincial government, a program to promote, educate, and advance the tourism industry, business and communities on accessibility services and provisions has been set up. Quality Tourism Services Inc. (QTS) launched accessadvisor.ca recently after researching the strengths and weaknesses of the current level of accessibility on PEI and how this is marketed to the public.  It will now offer operators the resources to categorize and promote their business
or location using four accessibility designations – limited accessibility, fully mobile accessibility, sight accessibility and hearing accessibility. The program will help improve the quality of the consumer experience and better empower businesses to compete for this growing and maturing market. The program will also help inform operators on how to meet the needs of persons travelling with accessibility challenges. Prince Edward Island strives to be a welcoming destination to all visitors. The Government of Canada has invested $87,000 in the project and the Government of Prince Edward Island, through the Department of Tourism and Culture, $22,500. Quality Tourism Services Inc. has also invested more than $66,000. The Access market is a significant segment of the population said Murray MacPherson, Industry Chair of Quality Tourism Services. The first Baby Boomers turned 65 on January 1, 2011, and they are accustomed to travelling and when they retire they will continue to do so, as they have leisure time and disposable income.  As disability increases with age, it is imperative that the tourism industry adapt to this. Quality Tourism Services Inc. is the non-profit, professional quality assurance company that inspects and assesses all ccommodation and camping facilities across PEI. QTS delivers numerous quality assurance programs to tourism and related businesses, including Canada / Camping Select, PEIs Tourism Water Quality Program, Cyclist Welcome, as well as advice on Access Tourism and the new accessadvisor.ca. program.

A National Dialogue of key stakeholders in inclusive and accessible tourism was opened in Australia on Monday by Senator the Hon Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers at Parliament House, Canberra. In her opening address, McLucas said that the Australian government wants to see improved access to airlines, resorts, hotels, tour operations, restaurants and cafes.  People with disability should be able to enjoy their holidays without barriers. The National Dialogue brings together peak providers of tourism focused information and referral services for people with disabilities to share evidence and research on tourism and disability and to identify ways to raise awareness of the value and need among the industry as well as government and the general community of improved accessibility for people with disability (McLucas).

The Dialogue, hosted by NICAN and chaired by Annette Ellis, National Patron and former Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers, has agreed on a call to action for the tourism industry, government and the Australian community.  A joint communiqué notes amongst other things that:

• Accessible tourism for people who have a disability or who are ageing is seen as an opportunity for Australian Tourism to seize the competitive advantage in a tight market.  The time is right for action as Australia’s baby boomers retire.
• Key stakeholders including researchers, tourism operators and referral providers have joined forces, with the support of the Australian Government, to build awareness about the opportunities and to address barriers to tourism by these groups.  
• There is growing understanding of the potential of accessible tourism to boost visitor numbers and strengthening Australia as a top draw international tourism destination
• Access to leisure and recreation, including holidaying, is an important part of living an ordinary life and helps realise the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability and the Australian National Disability Strategy.
• Accessible tourism will help build a more welcoming and inclusive society, where individuals and families with a disability have choices and no longer feel shut out
• Accessible tourism makes good business sense and is also consistent with rights, access and corporate social responsibility.

The Dialogue welcomed the Government’s commitment in the area of travel and tourism through the National Disability Strategy as well as work on Access to Premises and Transport Standards, access to airlines and cinema access.   It pointed out that more could be done including an inclusive/accessible tourism category within a mainstream tourism award; a marketing strategy; a practical information guide; a national forum with tourism operators and further work to refresh and promote the business case for inclusive and accessible tourism, especially with industry.  The communiqué was issued by Australia For All Alliance Inc, Greatvenue,  Disabled Motorists Association, Disability Information and Resource Centre, NICAN, IDEAS, Travability, and Leadership Plus.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a specialized agency of the United ‎Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism.   Its membership includes 154 countries, 7 territories and over 400 Affiliate ‎Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations ‎and local tourism authorities.‎  It ‎includes tourism and travel by people with disabilities as a vital element of any responsible and sustainable tourism development policy.  In 2005, the Organization’s General Assembly adopted “Accessible Tourism for All”, which features a series of recommendations to the sector, highlights the need to provide clear information on the accessibility of tourism facilities, the availability of support services in destinations for persons with disabilities, and the training of employees on the needs of people with disabilities.  The document was prepared with the help of experts from the ONCE Foundation (a Spanish disabilities organization).    In October 2009, UNWTO again underscored the importance of accessibility with the “Declaration on the Facilitation of Tourist Travel”, approved by its General Assembly.  The declaration calls upon states to ensure the accessibility of tourism establishments and endorses the general principles enshrined in Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  In 2011, UNWTO plans to work with ONCE and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) to develop guidelines, indicators, benchmarking and training in Accessible Tourism.  It will also work on policy-making, awareness-raising, and capacity building projects, especially via the UNWTO Themis Foundation, which is responsible for implementing the UNWTO work programme on education and training.

NZ Senior Citizens Minister John Carter has recognized the growing importance of the older market to NZ tourism, but the message does not seem to have been heard by the NZ tourism industry.   Carter, in talking about a new SuperGold card reciprocal agreement with Australia, notes that the over 65s are a fast growing population who are travelling more, with over 100,000 Kiwi seniors heading to Australia each year. “70,000 Australian seniors head for our shores each year and spend over $131 million while they are here……With all the travel our citizens do between our two countries, I can see this as a great opportunity to grow seniors tourism and build on the ANZAC spirit.”

The seniors market seems to be largely neglected in New Zealand. Currently, Tourism New Zealand (TNZ), which is NZ’s official overseas marketer is running a global – including in Australia – youth campaign called There’s Too Much To Miss with the objective of driving as many 18-29 year olds to the TNZ site as possible (IT 827).  Another current marketing effort is the 100% PureYou campaign, which in the Australian market shows young women jetboating, a man of about 35 with his young children, and a young women horse riding.  Not a single grey hair in sight. The snapshot of this campaign in other markets also does not show anyone with grey hair – except for a guide.  In addition, there is only one older couple in the What do You Say UK campaign, the remaining dozens of interviewees/models all look younger than 45. 

According to Travel Today, TNZ has been forced recently to rethink its international marketing as the organisation had been “too carried away” with pushing an adrenalin theme.  Kevin Bowler told delegates at the Australian Tourism Exchange in early April that the organisation altered its marketing strategies midway through last year after research found interest in the destination was not converting as well as hoped.  “We probably got a little bit carried away with adrenalin and how exciting everything was.  As a result Tourism NZ has looked to promote more “relaxation and rejuvenation” product as it looks to secure more of what Bowler termed the “active considerers”.    This is a step in the right direction as a NZ Ministry of Tourism report released over a year ago finally recognized leading edge Baby Boomers as NZ’s largest domestic market segment.  The Domestic Market Segmentation report notes that this segment is asset rich, money is less of a barrier to travel than with other segments, and holidays are very important to them.   Also over a year ago – at the 2010 Australian Tourism Exchange – Michael Londregan, a California-based travel agent, who oversees Qantas’s holiday arm in the US and Canada, said at the Australian Tourism Exchange trade fair in Adelaide that Baby Boomers were the key market returning to international travel (ATNZ).  On top of that, NZ Ministry of Tourism data shows that the over 45s comprise around 45% of our international visitors.  There is nothing wrong with NZ appealing to a young market, but lets also go after those with grey hair and money.