A major initiative for Accessible Tourism in Queensland

An audit of improvements to the accessibility of Queensland’s popular visitor experiences will be launched early next year to help maximise the Palaszczuk Government’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan for tourism.

The $450,000 independent appraisal was announced at the 2021 DestinationQ Forum in Brisbane by Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.

“We know from the work of Tourism Research Australia, people with a disability contribute 17 per cent of all spending on tourism,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

“The number of visitors to Queensland with a disability is growing.

“Our Economic Recovery Plan and the Tourism Industry Reference Panel’s work with operators on a post-pandemic blueprint is an ideal opportunity to assess industry success in meeting the needs of visitors with a disability.

“We’re committed to making Queensland’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games the world’s most accessible and inclusive sporting events.

“Queensland’s tourism industry will be integral to our success.”

Get Skilled Access (GSA) and Travability will review tourist infrastructure accessibility and tourism business capability in six regions of Queensland for people with a disability.

Travability specialises in travel for visitors with mobility challenges and GSA is an Australian enterprise founded by wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott OAM.

“Our partnership will make it easier for people with a disability to enjoy a holiday in Queensland and provide industry with the resources to cater to the growing accessible tourism market, capitalising on the opportunities Brisbane 2032 will provide,”

Mr Alcott said.

Mr Hinchliffe said the Palaszczuk Government had been working closely on the initiative with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.

“Our tourism operators are united in their commitment to every Queensland holiday being an unforgettable, world-class visitor experience,”

Mr Hinchliffe said.

In 2017, a study by Tourism Research Australia with Tourism and Events Queensland and the Victorian Government found:

  • Visitors with a disability spent $3.3 billion on tourism accounting for 17 per cent of all tourism expenditure
  • On average, travellers with a disability account for 21 per cent of all day trips and spend 5 per cent more
  • Visitors with a disability generally spend 9 per cent less on overnight trips.

There are more 260,000 Queenslanders living with disability and more than 474,000 carers.

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