Tourism industry representatives today called on the State Government to provide grant funding for tourism businesses and destinations to develop accessible tourism product.
At the Accessible Tourism Forum today, hosted by Tourism Council WA, tourism operators also committed to publishing information about their product’s accessibility to ensure guests with accessibility requirements have the information they need.
“A recent survey commissioned by Tourism Council WA found one in three Western Australians have an accessibility requirement to be met when they travel around the State,” Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said.
“For tourism operators and destinations, this presents an opportunity to develop tourism product and experiences which will meet the needs of people with low vision, low hearing, limited mobility, wheelchairs and scooters, autism or cognitive requirements, or allergies and intolerances.
“At today’s Forum, the industry voted to call on the State Government to support the tourism industry in improving its accessibility by providing grant funding for equipment and facilities to allow access for all.”
The Accessible Tourism Forum included presentations from Spinal Life Australia, the Office of Disability, National Disability Services, Tourism WA, and three Accessible Tourism Champions representing businesses and destinations which have already commenced providing accessible experiences – Busselton Jetty, Esperance Island Cruises and Visit Mandurah.
Tourism Council WA offers an Online Accessible Tourism Program which enables tourism operators to undertake an online assessment and receive a guide which can be published on their website to indicate their product’s accessibility levels.
“By providing information about the accessibility of their tourism product, operators can give guests with accessibility needs the best possible idea of what to expect and how they can participate,” Mr Hall said.
