TTNQ has added a new Accessibility Hub to the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef destination website to assist travellers with mobility impairment select activities and itineraries.
TTNQ worked closely with Spinal Life Australia and Out There Travel Care to put together the content which showcases experiences and accommodation accessible to all travellers.
“It has been an informative exercise discovering wheelchair-friendly beaches, Quicksilver’s water-powered lift to lower people into the water so they can snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, and which rainforest boardwalks are best suited to wheelchairs,” TTNQ chief executive Officer Mark Olsen said.
“People needing to consider accessibility can now easily find accommodation options from specialised providers like Spinal Life’s Healthy Living Centre which has personal support workers to traditional hotels with accessible rooms such as the Cairns Novotel Oasis Resort.”
The hub also includes a series of blogs written by Disabled Mission Beach journalist Imogen Kars, who put the accommodation and tours to the test in Cairns, Palm Cove, the Cassowary Coast, Port Douglas and the Atherton Tablelands.
“It’s encouraging to see our operators attending to learn about the opportunities in the accessible tourism market, understand case studies from businesses that have successfully entered the market, and hear from people with physical disabilities about what they are looking for in a destination,” Olsen said.
The accessible tourism market has enormous potential for tourism operators and event and incentive planners, and can be woven into many existing tourism and event offerings and itineraries.
“Often, tourism operators don’t know where to begin on their journey towards better accessibility – this workshop enables people to ask simple questions and find out more about where to begin,” Spinal Life Australia senior advisor access and advocacy Dane Cross said.
“Research by Tourism Australia has shown that accessible tourism can be a game changer for destinations that will assist with post-pandemic recovery by building industry resilience.”
