Jervis Bay Wild, An Accessible Whale Watching Experience

/in /by

Jervis Bay is renowned for its natural beauty and extraordinary wildlife, such as dolphins, seals, sea birds, fairy penguins and migrating whales (from May through November). Rich in Australian history, Aboriginal culture and geological marvels, Jervis Bay is also famous for its diving, exceptionally clear water.

Experience the wonders of Jervis Bay on 18.5 metre catamaran Port Venture. She has five viewing levels, and has been specifically designed to suit all ages, especially those who are in wheelchairs or have a physical disability. Port Venture has disabled amenities on board and level walk/wheel on, and off ramp.

Guests with any type of disability can experience whale and dolphin watching, as well as be safely hoisted into the boom net or go snorkeling in the clear waters of Jervis Bay.

Once back on shore visit Jervis Bay Wild’s Portside Cafe to enjoy lunch or tea and a cake.  Portside has fully accessible amenities available.

Jarvis Bay Wild operates 365 days of the year and run a number of Eco tours consisting of:

Dolphin – all year round

Whale – mid-May to mid November

Summer – mid November to mid-May

Boom Netting – mid-November to mid-May

Twilight – December to April

Seal Colony – dependent on wind and sea conditions

Private Charters – to suit any occasion.

About the Shoalhaven

The Shoalhaven is situated on the South Coast of NSW and includes Jervis Bay.

Around the Shoalhaven there are many activities suitable for travellers of any ability, their families and their friends, making this region the perfect destination for people who may require some extra care and assistance with their access requirements. Whether fishing from an accessible jetty, admiring the spectacular pristine, white sands around the Bay, or out on the water in a fully accessible boat for dolphin and whale watching For those who are more adventurous a hoist can lift you into the boom net or off the back of the boat to go snorkelling with the marine life.

There is a large range of accessible accommodations options available.

Moonlit Sanctuary – An Accessible Wildlife Experience Close to Melbourne

/in /by

Moonlit Sanctuary is only 50 minutes south-east of central Melbourne, at the top of the Mornington Peninsula, and on the way to the Penguins on Phillip Island.

Melbourne’s award winning wildlife park, Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park invites you to explore 10 hectares of bushland, meeting endangered species, feeding kangaroos and wallabies, petting koalas and enjoying encounters with colourful birds, reptiles, dingoes and many other animals.

The park is on flat terrain with paths constructed of fine hard packed gravel, making the experience suitable for people of all abilities. Wheelchair visitors can negotiate the easily navigable paths. Each display has a glass fronted section to allow everyone to enjoy the park. The Koala encounter is height adjustable to allow visitors using wheelchairs to get up close and personal.

At night, Moonlit Sanctuary comes alive with world-famous lantern-lit tours. Night birds are active, tiny feathertail gliders and giant yellow-bellied gliders swoop around, and endangered quolls, pademelons and bettongs forage for food.

The Sanctuary is an ark for endangered creatures, and a showcase of their unique beauty. It is a living classroom which encourages children and adults alike to unlock the mystery of Australian mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, insects and amphibians in a natural bush setting.

You can experience a range of magical activities at Moonlit Sanctuary

Wander around their beautiful wetlands, a haven for water birds that change with the seasons. Meet koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, emus, Cape Barren geese and curlews, and stop past the wombats.

BY DAY…enjoy hand-feeding our gentle and curious wallabies and kangaroos, or cuddle one of the resident koalas. You can meet their feisty Tassie devils, and learn the latest in the fight to save this threatened species.

Catch one of the daily dingo talks, and get to know the characters in our dingo pack. Book in for an exclusive adventure with dingos Blaze and Scorch. Enjoy a python presentation or get up close and personal for a python cuddle.

Then pop over to the parrots and see orange bellied parrots, a critically endangered species; then visit the stunning red-tailed black cockatoos, gang gang, superb parrots, and the unique violet eyes of our bower birds.

The latest addition, the Wildlife Show – Conservation in Action, adds another fully accessible feature to the park.

BY NIGHT…embark on a guided lantern-lit evening tour which winds its way through the home of many of the sanctuary’s memorable nocturnal animals. See feather-tail gliders, a nightjar, quolls, Tasmanian devils, owls and possums. Meet squirrel gliders, bettongs, potoroos, to name but a few of the creatures you will encounter at surprisingly close quarters.

Accessibility

Facilities include a multi-purpose entry building with ramp in and out to the park. Containing a reception and orientation area, it has an open area that can be adapted to school groups or functions as required.

Up to 60 people can be accommodated at one time. Advanced bookings are required for this.

Wheelchair and pram access is provided by ramps and suitably wide doors. Washrooms with full disabled access and baby change facilities are attached.

Easy to access

Front door only 10 metres from car park.
Ramps into and out of visitor centre – there are no steps or stairs at Moonlit Sanctuary.

Easy to get around

Flat to undulating ground with compressed gravel paths linking all exhibit areas.
Numerous benches around Sanctuary so you can always take a breather.
Glass fronts to exhibits for visibility.
Some exhibit areas have woodchip paths.

Useful facilities

Wheelchairs, walking stick and umbrellas available for loan free of charge.
Disabled facilities adjacent to visitor centre. Pan height 45cm.
Baby change table available for use

Companion Animals

As required by law, companion animals are permitted in Moonlit Sanctuary. However we do remind visitors that if they bring a companion animal with them, none of our animals will approach them and they will not be able to enjoy the close contact with animals enjoyed by other visitors. We require that companion animals do not enter any animal enclosures, including the Wallaby Walk and that they remain under the physical control of the visitor at all times.

Station Pier

Station Pier – Melbourne’s Cruise Ship Terminal

/in /by

Station Pier was originally known as Railway Pier and was first openedin 1854. It played a key role in Victoria’s history and through the mid to late 1800’s saw the arrival of the first visitors keen to seek their fortunes on the goldfields and then the settlers. It saw off the first contingent of Australian troops headed for the Boer War. In October 1914 16 ships left Station Pier for World War I. Again in 1940 troops headed for the European, African and Pacific theatres of World War II from Station Pier. Post the Second World War many thousands of the migrants that came to Australia’s shores and gave Melbourne its rich multicultural diversity first set foot on Australian soil at Station Pier. The pier and its unique Gate House are heritage listed.
Today Station Pier is Melbourne’s premier cruise ship terminal and is also host to the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service from Melbourne to Devonport. It also plays host to visiting naval and tall ships. Unlike many cruise ship terminals, Station Pier is not located within a freight terminal. The pier is constructed directly off the beach into Port Phillip Bay at the historic and cosmopolitan suburb of Port Melbourne, giving visitors stunning views from their ship and the chance to wander along the beach side board walks directly from the end of the pier.
Station Pier is 15 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD.
The pier is open to the general public from 6am to 9pm daily (for pedestrians only). However, the pier is closed to the public during cruise ship visits, some naval ship visits and other exceptional circumstances.

Accessibility
Terminal Building
During cruise ship visits entry to the pier is via the left side gate for initial security. The path down the pier is level and smooth with a road crossing about half way down to the cruise terminal. The cruise terminal is the second building on the pier and there is a set of elevators just past the main escalators. The terminal is on the first floor with a small cafe accessible toilets, and a gift shop prior to the main security checkpoint and gangway entry. The tidal movement in Port Phillip bay is only approximately 18 inches, gangway slope will alter greatly during your visit. Depending on the ship and gangway configuration assistance is on hand for wheelchair users.

Drop off and pick up procedures
From the main gate and security checkpoint it is approximately 500 metres to the cruise ship terminal. Drivers are permitted to drive onto the pier and drop passengers with a disability at the terminal building. On return the procedure is more complex. Passengers with a disability must arrange with the ships purser for a pick up at the terminal building. The passengers name will then be added to the security gate register. The driver of the pick up vehicle will need to quote that name to be allowed through the security checkpoint. As it is a pickup zone only prior arrangements will need to be made to contact the driver when the passenger has cleared customs and is ready to be picked up.
Please note: These arrangements must be made with the cruise line. Station Pier is not manned when there are no ships are in port.

Access to the City
There are two public transport options to the CBD. There is an accessible shuttle bus that operates on weekdays from the cruise terminal to the arts precinct in the city near the Flinders Street Station.
An accessible tram service (route 109) operates from the Beacon Cove terminus right into the centre of the centre with stops along Collins Street. Route 109 operates flat floor roll in trams from elevated tram platforms. Each platform has a 1 in 14 ramp at one end for wheelchair users. The accessible stops are:

  • 8-Parliament/Collins St (Melbourne City)
  • 7-101 Collins St (Melbourne City)
  • 6-Melbourne Town Hall/Collins St (Melbourne City)
  • 5-Elizabeth St/Collins St (Melbourne City)
  • 1-Spencer St/Collins St (Melbourne City)
  • 124A-Casino/MCEC/Clarendon St (Southbank)
  • 129-Beacon Cove/Light Rail (Port Melbourne)

The Tram terminus is a pleasant 10 minute walk/roll from the cruise terminal. On Cruise visiting days an accessible bus shuttle operates from the terminal to the Beacon Cove terminus.

When ships are in port public transport tickets can be purchased at Station Pier. For further details and ticket prices contact Public Transport Victoria http://ptv.vic.gov.au

Station Pier

Destinations for All – Montreal Declaration

/in /by

A World for Everyone

Declaration from the World Summit Destinations for All Montreal, 2014

Having met in Montreal, Canada at the World Summit Destinations for All, from October 19 to 22, 2014, we, as women and men from various countries and regions around the world, including professionals, representatives of NGOs and various sectors of civil society, universities, international and multilateral agencies, and employees of government institutions, we hereby agree to the following Declaration:

Recognizing the important contributions made to the development and promotion of Tourism and Destinations for All, (including for persons with disabilities, seniors, families and other visitors), and understanding that local citizens are the first to benefit from such efforts, including the following key initiatives:

  • The Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons (UN, 1975)
  • The Principles of Universal Design, Version 2.0. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University, The Center for Universal Design (1997) The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (UNWTO, 1999);
  • The Takayama Declaration on the Development of Communities-for-All in Asia and the Pacific (UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP, 2009);
  • The ISO Standard 21542:2011, Building construction – Accessibility and usability of the built environment providing a global reference for the design of buildings including tourism infrastructure (2011);
  • The Italian Manifesto for the Promotion of Accessible Tourism (2011);
  • The World Report on Disability concluding that more than 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability (World Health Organization 2011)
  • The 5th International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations addressing Access to All (ICRT, Canada, 2011);
  • The relevant Standards and Recommended Practices of Annex 9 – Facilitation to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention, 1944) and the Manual on Access to Air Transport by Persons with Disabilities (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2013);
  • The UNWTO Recommendations on Accessible Tourism, developed with the support of the ONCE Foundation and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) (UNWTO, 2013);
  • The series of International Congresses on Tourism for All, organised and hosted in Spain by ONCE Foundation in 2004, 2007, 2010 and 2013;
  • The Catalunya 2020 Vision for Responsible Tourism: the Barcelona Declaration (2013);
  • The series of International Congresses on Accessible Tourism held in South-East Asia in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and December 2014;
  • The report and call for action Access to Culture 2012, by the European Blind Union;
  • The Vision and Action Plan 2011-2015, “Way Forward” of the World Federation of the Deaf;
  • The Proposed Model Regulations for Accessible Taxicabs and For-Hire Vehicles (International Association of Transportation Regulators, 2014);
  • The Proposal of The Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals produced at the 13th session of the UN General Assembly which contains the goal to « Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable » (OWG, August 2014);
  • The international cooperation effort undertaken by UNWTO, ENAT, ISTO, the ONCE Foundation, the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations (CED), Kéroul, and the numerous participants of the World Summit Destinations for All, being committed to pooling their expertise for the benefit of the international community;

We, the participants of the Montreal Summit, hereby declare our intention to maintain our cooperation at the international level and in our respective regions and countries to support and monitor the implementation of the UNWTO Recommendations on Accessible Tourism.
To this end, we recommend and support the following measures:

For tourism, travel and transportation operators and intermediaries:

  1. Seize the business opportunity to widen the market base by developing products and services that provide inclusive experiences for ALL visitors. In this context, ALL visitors means people with disabilities and those with specific access requirements, as well as, seniors with age-related impairments and access requirements and families with small children.
  2. Apply the principles of Universal Design and follow accessibility guidelines in the design of visitor information and marketing (including Websites), transportation, facilities and services.
  3. Build the capacity of managers and staff by providing training opportunities in accessibility and disability awareness.
  4. Observe the voluntary ENAT Code of Good Conduct as a business development and visitor relationship management tool for ensuring high quality accessible tourism services and appropriate care and responsibility towards ALL visitors.
  5. Engage with consumer organisations including disabled persons organizations, senior citizens, youth and families with small children, to identify gaps in tourism service provisions and to improve the quality of tourism products and services.
  6. Participate in local and national business and multi-stakeholder networks to share know-how and improve performance in accessible, inclusive tourism, while making a positive contribution to the sustainability of the host community.

For the local authorities:

  1. Ensure that in any new construction or renovation of a building or public space, or in introducing a public service developments are designed, according to the principles of Universal Design and sustainable development.
  2. Provide pedestrian pathways without obstacle to facilitate crossings of streets and in all public spaces, retail areas and parks.
  3. Ensure supply of public transport suitable for citizens and visitors with disabilities.
  4. Require that taxi and limousine dispatch companies to provide transportation services for persons with disabilities equivalent to those enjoyed by the general public.
  5. Develop a policy including enforcement provisions regarding the parking spaces for persons with reduced mobility.
  6. Adopt a support policy for individuals accompanying persons with disabilities in their recreational and cultural activities, and in transport services.
  7. Support efforts to raise awareness and educate business owners, managers and staff on the advantages of providing accessible facilities and services and encourage the introduction of staff training programmes on catering to ALL visitors with different types of disabilities and access requirements.
  8. Provide resources to the business community for the development and dissemination of knowledge about accessible, inclusive tourism and tools for the design and improvement of tourism products and services for ALL.
  9. Establish destination-level monitoring of visitor satisfaction, including accessibility parameters, as a learning and development tool for the tourism and retail sectors.
  10. Create “Destinations for ALL” enabling all visitors to enjoy travel, whether for business, educational, medical treatment, volunteering or leisure purposes, without hindrance.
  11. Establish a Destination Management function within the structure of the local municipal / regional authority with a budget allocation and a mandate to coordinate and support efforts to develop and promote sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism in the corresponding territories, working in cooperation with businesses and public sector stakeholders.

For the governments and national authorities:

  1. Make accessible, inclusive tourism policy a priority of national tourist boards.
  2. Encourage educational institutions to incorporate training on the welcome and service to ALL visitors, and on the accessibility of the built environment and facilities.
  3. Promote the training of frontline staff in the travel and tourism sectors on the reception and delivery of services to ALL visitors.
  4. Urge institutions providing public goods or services, including transportation providers, to conduct a review of their accessibility and their service delivery to visitors with disabilities and others with specific access requirements, in order to eliminate barriers and facilitate the provision of services to this clientele.
  5. Adopt fiscal measures to encourage the owners of existing institutions and private transport companies to do the work required to make their facilities and services accessible.
  6. Adopt the ISO Standard 21542 Building construction – Accessibility and usability of the built environment as the minimum requirement for new buildings (where no stricter national standard exists) – and go beyond this standard whenever possible.
  7. Adopt the minimum requirements established by the international community for certification of the accessibility of tourist or cultural institutions and buildings.
  8. Promote guidelines for the universal design of information for tourism services.
  9. Adopt the international Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG – ideally version 2.0) for all public websites and encourage their use by all tourism operators and intermediaries, so as to ensure access to online information for ALL visitors, including those with physical and sensory disabilities.
  10. Promote the introduction of accessibility requirements in public procurement of goods, services, transport and infrastructure works.
  11. Establish effective monitoring and compliance mechanisms to ensure the effective implementation of accessibility requirements by tourism service providers to the local, national and international levels.
  12. Promote employment opportunities and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities in the tourism sector.

For international stakeholders:

  1. Urge the competent regional and international organizations with standardization mandates to mainstream accessibility standards in all tourism products and services, working with the tourism industry and stakeholders, including the organizations of persons with disabilities and others with specific access requirements.
  2. Encourage the implementation of ISO Standard 21542 in the tourism sector ensuring the minimum accessibility of tourism facilities.
  3. Pursue an international certification mechanism overseen by a competent international body with a clear certification mandate, in consultation with the tourism industry, DPOs and other related bodies, to certify the accessibility of tourism facilities.
  4. Accredit national or local organizations to assess and certify the accessibility of tourism related establishments on the basis of the criteria of the international certification mechanism.
  5. Encourage the International Standards Organization to make the ISO Standard 21542 freely available on the Web to facilitate its wider dissemination and use, given the importance of these standards for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities and other with specific access requirements in all aspects of life, including travel and tourism.
  6. Encourage Member States of the Facilitation Panel from the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) to adopt the ICAO recommendations on access for persons with disabilities in air transport, especially with regard to the design of aircraft cabins and the availability of accessible on-board toilets.
  7. Make information on good practices and relevant documents concerning accessible tourism available on the Web.
  8. Invite UNWTO to receive the present recommendations and to transmit them to the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, the independent body in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, for consideration and potential submission to the UNWTO General Assembly.

Lastly, for the participants of the Montreal Summit :

  1. Urge enterprises, local authorities, national bodies and international associations to publish their policies and strategies regarding their provision of services to persons with disabilities and other with specific access requirements to create an environment within which change can happen.
  2. Urge ENAT to coordinate and prepare a proposal for a global section or a World Association for Accessible Tourism, in which all interested parties could join and take part, in order to pursue the objectives outlined in this Declaration.
    The world association should:

    • Seek to foster innovation in tourism services and environments for all with the aim of achieving high quality standards to ensure accessibility, safety and comfort of visitors;
    • Reflect the scope of its members’ interests;
    • Pursue the goal of a positive business and regulatory environment and
    • Act as a global focal point for the promotion of Accessible, Inclusive Tourism and Destinations for All.
  3. Recognize that a lot of progress has been made in accessibility but that more needs to be done, and to be done together, to create a World for everyone.

References:

The Disabled Travelers Guide to the Galaxy

/in /by

Frogs, Bicycles, Imo, UD = MC2 and the
Restaurant at the end of the Universe

Well not really but at least I have your attention!

It would be nice to think that travelers with a disability were free to travel the Universe with nothing more than their trusty towel. In reality, travel even to a local attraction, is far more difficult than it needs to be. Travel, recreation and leisure are all about about the “experience” which ideally should be seamless from planning, to arrival back home. Enjoyment comes from those experiences and the way they are shared with others. The experience lingers in the memories of those who participated. A truly remarkable travel experience leaves the visitor changed in some way.

The reason it is so difficult for people with a disability to travel freely is that industry as a whole has not yet recognized that fundamentally a traveler with a disability is no different from any other traveler in their aspirations for a remarkable experience.

Universal Design is NOT Design for the Disabled.

To the travel industry Accessible Travel is still about access and not the experience. There is a fundamental difference and it stems from a misunderstanding that Universal Design means design for the disabled and not human centered design.

Chapter One – The Universe in Chaos

Lets look at the Universe

To understand the slow evolution of the adoption of Accessible Tourism, we must first look at the evolution and structure of the tourism universe.

In defining a tourism experience, however, the universe gets more complex. The private sector industry players do not act alone, but are part of a greater destination management plan that stems from a national brand value proposition. The brand proposition and national branding is a strategic decision that comes from a National Tourism Authority. It is filtered down to State/Provincial Authorities. Underlaying those bodies there is normally a layer of Regional and then Local Tourism Authorities that develop their own identities, branding and destination management plans. The nexus with the national branding is broken at this point unless the particular region is a national icon and part of the international marketing plan, e.g. America’s Grand Canyon or Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. At a regional and local level the emphasis is on developing the key attributes of the destination for a more local market. The influence of the National and State Tourism Authorities becomes more advisory and a source of information on global tourism trends.

The various elements of the Universe can be depicted in the following diagram.

he pyramid of influence is important as it represents by color the ease with which cultural change can be affected depending on the level a strategy change is implemented. Tourism is structured in multiple layers and unless all embrace Accessible Tourism as a core pillar of their respective tourism strategies an “Inclusive Experience” will never result.

Who is Imo and what has he got to do with the Universe?

“Imo the monkey has become famous over the years, originally as a result of Robert Ardrey’s wonderful work of science popularisation, The Social Contract, first published in 1970. Ardrey had learned of the trail-blazing work of Japanese scientists in studying the behaviour in the wild of large, self-contained and highly structured monkey
societies. The scientists had established the practice of ‘provisioning’- providing some of the monkey population’s food needs but without distorting the natural pattern of foraging in their island habitat. This allowed the observers to study at first hand, and continuously, the patterns of social interaction amongst the monkeys and, above all, their learning-the way that intelligence diffused in the social systems. Imo excited their attention from the start. When sweet potatoes,which monkeys love, were placed on the beach of the tiny islet of Koshima, all the monkeys laboriously picked the grains of sand from the food in order to eat it. It was Imo, just 18 months old, who made the mental connection with the little stream that crossed the beach not far way. Imo carried the sweet potatoes to the stream and allowed its fresh waters quickly to wash away the sand. After a while another youngster copied this method of food preparation and then, after a further period, Imo’s mother did so. Very slowly the innovation diffused amongst the band, mainly amongst the young, and within families. The normal pattern was for the young to make the breakthrough, followed by their mothers, and then for new infants to copy their own mothers.

The point of the story, for observers of human behaviour in organisations, is that the clever new ideas never penetrated to the powerful males at the top of the social hierarchy. They never came into contact with the young. When caramels were introduced to another band, the pattern was repeated-it took a year and a half for the innovation to spread from the juniors to half the entire troop. But, in a parallel experiment, the ‘alpha’ (boss) monkey was induced to try another new and delicious food-wheat. The alpha female promptly copied him and the entire band of 700 monkeys took to the new food in just four hours. Why? Because everybody watches the leader. Nobody much attends to an Imo. By now a mature four-year old, Imo devised a method for ‘placer-mining’ the wheat too. Interestingly, the youngest monkeys had figured out that it made sense to get downstream of Imo, so as to catch any floating grains that escaped the panning process. Something similar occurs near the smartest operators in big corporations.”

Intelligent Leadership – Alistair Mant – Allen & Unwin, 1999

The story of Imo is used a lot in corporate management and leadership training to keep organizations continually fresh and new by encouraging a “think tank” process to capture the new and innovative ideas coming out of the youngest minds. The best organizations do that successfully and keep innovating and changing. The key to that change is to recognize, however, that to get organization wide adoption rapidly to take advantage of the associated competitive advantage, the idea has to be owned from the top down. Without that ownership most ideas will be slow to evolve or die all together.

The Social Model of Disability and its effect on the Universe

The Social model of Disability recognized that society had a responsibility to not exclude people with a disability. Around the world the Social Model spawned anti-discrimination acts which were ultimately codified into access requirements. The compliance approach to accessible tourism is aimed at the individual tourism businesses and specifically at physical infrastructure. It is the least influential part of the pyramid and an infrastructure approach is associated with cost with no relation to business, destinational, or product development. Some businesses may see the potential of the market or the social implications but often it is limited to those with a personal experience or association. It is a model of accommodation – not customer. Codification provides a safe haven and a minimum no risk solution to accessibility.

The Business Case – A Really Big and Expanding Universe, but too big to comprehend at a local level.

In recent years the economics of the Accessible Tourism sector have started to come to the fore. The ground breaking research of Dr. Simon Darcy in 2008 put a value on the market of 11% of the total tourism spend. Further work by McKinsey on the impact of the Baby Boomers put their proportion of the tourism market at 50% by 2020. When the extrapolation of the number of people in the Baby Boomer group who will have an age related disability is applied to their purchasing power then the percentage of the total tourism, market that will relate to people with a disability climbs to a staggering 25% by 2020.

While the business case is strong, it is not tangible to individual business owners and operators. Too often presentations concentrate on big numbers, percentages and 20 page checklists and access statements. What a business owner needs to know is what to do about it, not how big the Universe is. The size of the Universe arguments need to be directed at the strategic influencers who’s job it is to translate those trends into tangible action plans.

Without the national structure embracing Accessible Tourism the emerging trends and business case is never translated into regional, local and individual plans that can be effectively implemented. It becomes a Black Hole with some isolated and disconnected bright stars. Like Imo, they will each be getting their own satisfaction both financially and socially, but the impact on the overall destination will be small and slow.

You can’t shoot for the stars without a systems approach

“The essential difference between the frog and the bicycle, viewed as systems, lies in the relationship of the parts to the whole. You can take a bicycle completely to pieces on your garage floor, clean and oil every single part, and reassemble the lot, confident the the whole thing will work perfectly, as a bike, as before. The frog is different. Once you remove a single part, the entire system is affected instantaneously and unpredictably for the worse. What’s more, if you go on removing bits the frog will make a series of subtle, but still unpredictable, adjustments in order to survive. This sort of system, at the level beneath consciousness, wants to survive and will continue for an astonishing length of time to achieve a rough equilibrium as bits are excised – until it can do so no longer. At that point, again quite unpredictably, the whole system will tip over into collapse. The frog is dead and it won’t help to sew the parts back on.”

Intelligent Leadership – Alistair Mant – Allen & Unwin, 1999

Conversely, when there is a well established and sophisticated system, simply bolting on new pieces doesn’t change the fundamentals. Those additional pieces are never nourished and never form part of the overall system. They simply exist on the edge until, through lack of maintenance, they fade away into oblivion.

Tourism is an example of a well established and very intricate system aimed at delivering a multitude of different experiences to the traveler. Those experiences blend together to retain a feel for the destination and brand management. The complexity exists both within the destination management structure and within the industry that brings together an array of components to deliver its overall service. A successful tourism product incorporates, transport, accommodation, attractions, sightseeing, booking systems, information systems and customer service. Those products are bundled and further require the integration of service providers, consolidators, tour operators and an extensive retail network whether online or offline.

Over time the system evolves as products change and the tastes of the market changes. New products and experiences become available and get incorporated into the local and then destination wide management. In some cases the destination plan and value proposition evolve over time as a destination sees a competitive advantage in a line travel type. Adventure and sustainable tourism are two recent examples.

Bicycle thinking, where a new product is bolted onto the system invariable fails if it doesn’t fit into the destination management plan or isn’t powerful enough to change the plan.

The approach to Accessible Tourism, has to date, largely been Bicycle thinking. Adding accessibility requirements doesn’t fundamentally change a product offering or affect cultural change within a destination.

Defining the Disabled Traveler.

The Encyclopedia Galactica defines disability as:

An arbitrary line drawn to differentiate a segment of the population whose ability the majority don’t understand.

While that definition may be tongue in cheek, it goes a long to explain why Accessible Tourism has not become a mainstream part of the tourism product. As we have said earlier tourism is all about creating an experience and a memory of a place. It is about engaging people and taking them into a new realm. The ability to transport someone to a new sensory level requires an understanding of the person for whom that experience is designed and a knowledge of their capabilities to enjoy and appreciate what is going on around them.

People with a disability are present in all sectors in roughly the same proportion as the general population. They are not like the backpackers, adventure tourists, or luxury travelers that can be conveniently put into unique product boxes with targeted marketing campaigns. The common misconception is that the needs of all people with a disability are the same. In one sense that misconception has been reinforced by the social model of disability which, in defining the social barriers, has concentrated on a narrow sub set of physical access requirements largely limited to car parks, toilets, building access and hotel rooms. By concentrating on the narrow access requirements the industry has effectively created an artificial sector of people with a disability that ignored their actual aspirations.

A disability, in reality is just a different level of ability. We are not all equal in a number of ways. Physical ability is just one element in the total capability set of the human being.

Disability is the only minority group anyone can join in an instant

If we do take physical ability as the cornerstone of the push for greater accessibility then we need to put it into context. Looking at the travel industry as a case in point. Travelers vary enormously in their physical capabilities and their holiday patterns reflect that diversity. Whether that holiday is climbing a Himalayan peak, walking New Zealand’s, Milford Track, visiting the wine region of the Napa Valley or relaxing on a Caribbean Island that is a personal choice. The tourism industry is adept at discerning and catering for those wide ranges of choices, however, we have categorized a disability, through the medical and now social models as something different and around that built a set of preconceptions that shields it from a market view.
Disability is often regarded as a homogeneous concept. The opposite is true. As with the general population ability is on a continuum.

The arbitrary line defining disability is exactly that, an arbitrary line. The advent of modern alloys and design has opened up a vast range of activities including some at the extreme adventure end of the spectrum. People with a disability can be found across the full range of sporting and leisure activities. Their tastes and budgets, likewise, spread from economy to five star and include the conference and meetings market. The key to developing tourism product is to look at the aspirations of potential visitors, the opportunities that exist within a destination and the technology available to allow participation by people of all abilities. Customer expectations should drive the product development.

From a tourism industry point of view, higher levels of assistance and support are common in the higher adventure type tourism activities and in the group tour segments. The industry has a proven capacity to support people to achieve stretch goals and aspirations. Accessible Tourism needs to capatalise on that pre-existing skill set by clearly defining the customer needs.

New technology is opening adventure to all

Chapter Two – Bringing Order to the Universe with the Force of Universal Design

UD = MC2

The Encyclopedia Galactica defines Universal Design as:

Universal Design is the design of products, services and environments to be USABLE by ALL people

Universal Design is at the very core of an inclusive society. In the context of tourism UD must be able to produce an experience that meets and exceeds the expectations of all people. Further, as we have said, tourism experiences are SHARED experiences hence the design of tourism products is about bringing together people of all abilities, not designing specific activities for people with a disability.

What if the first question we asked was, “What is so unique about this situation that it justifies exclusion?” instead of, “How much does it cost to make it accessible?”

Dr. Scott Rains

The key element in developing tourism product is the incorporation of Universal Design from the first inception of the product concept.

Knowing what the customer, not only wants, but is capable of doing is the foundation for the capacity review. The capacity review must look at all of the existing infrastructure and what needs to be altered to accommodate the proposed new product. Too often the path of travel is ignored or the simple and inexpensive alterations overlooked because a helicopter view is not taken out the outset.

Product design must be all-encompassing and actively seek out new product innovations. Today venues have a great range of new equipment at their disposal from the freewheel wheelchair extension, off road handcycles, road handcycles, all abilities sailboats, adaptive fishing equipment, paddle boards designed for wheelchairs, adaptive canoes and canoe launchers, in addition to the tradition hearing loops, tactile markers etc.

In creating built infrastructure it is important to look to the future and the impact the aging population will have on anything built today. The Baby Boomer generation will dominate the travel market over the next 20 years. That is a big enough tome horizon to justify any capital expenditure. The vision and application should be broad. Why fit a toilet seat with a 30% luminosity contrast to just the accessible toilet. The contrast is needed by anyone with low vision whether or not they have any mobility issues requiring and accessible toilet. The small things like maximizing the accessible paths of travel through garden and bar areas should be part of any infrastructure upgrade.

In creating a tourism offering the Soft Infrastructure is just as important as the built environment. Accessibility information should be plentiful, easily found within the main context of the attraction description and written in the same style as any other information. It is, after all, a sales document, not an audit report. Booking systems should reflect the experience a visitor wants or expects to have. If there is space for only one companion, then the booking information and system needs to talk about where the rest of the party is located, or better still reserve the row in front of the accessible seating to accommodate family and friends. Create interactive maps and signage to allow easy wayfinding through a venue without the need to search for a step route. Create large print registration forms or mobile apps to simplify the process for people of all abilities. In other words every action should be enhancing the customer experience and it should blend in with existing forms and presentations and systems. Customers want an inviting experience, not one that makes them feel different or puts under pressure.

In implementing any Accessible Tourism product, it has to be made seamless to the overall visitor experience. Transport, arrivals, check-in, dining, drinking, city transfers, sightseeing tours, local accessibility maps all should reflect the same level of inclusiveness as the particular product being developed. Rarely does a tourism offering exist in isolation to the destination. Partnerships and packaging are critical is staff training, not just in the particular product, but all other things a traveler with a disability may want to do.

Finally there is the marketing. Imagery plays a critical role in saying to a customer from the outset that we want your business. It is about positioning potential clients as valued and welcome guests and nothing says that more strongly than people with a disability enjoying a venue or activity on offer. That imagery should not just encompass the particular product but more generally reflect the destination as whole.

Universal design is not design for the disabled. It is an all encompassing philosophy to create a culture of inclusion. Get the vision right and all else follows with creative and innovative solutions that will attract one of the fastest growing markets of any industry.

Everyone Belongs Outside – Vision Statement of Parks Alberta

The Galactic Road Map to the Accessible Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Tourism is complex from its management structure, industry structure and destination and product development. It is a system designed and intertwined to create an “experience” for the traveler.

The industry, and disability advocates have been slow to adopt Accessible Tourism as a valid tourism market mainly because the industry as a whole does not understand people with a disability as travelers.

The Social Model of disability created a community recognition that society as a whole has a collective responsibility for people with a disability. The UN CRPD, and in relation to tourism Article 30, goes further with a doctrine of equality. The emphasis for the past 25 years has been on physical access and while a great many of those barriers have been removed the cultural divide and misunderstandings still prevail.

The Final Frontier is all about cultural change that will be largely driven by an aging population and increasing economics around Accessible Tourism.

The Business Case alone will not change those attitudes without a rethink by Accessible Tourism advocates on how that message is translated to every level of the Tourism Industry. The focus has to now shift to one of education about a “new” customer and redefining the misconceptions held by the industry about people with a disability. The arbitrary line has to be removed from the continuum to allow for the development of truly inclusive experiences to be enjoyed and shared by everyone.

Someday soon the restaurant at the end of the universe will be accessible to all

Spain

PushLiving.com Owner Deborah Davis Goes on a Spanish Adventure

/in /by
What is a girl to do, when she falls in love and has to travel 4600 miles to see her new love??

Well, first time I laid my eyes on a Oracing wheelchair, I shared it on my facebook page as if it was a girls favorite new designer shoes, hot actor, or some other highly coveted thing we love. For this “Push Girl”, this chair has all the hot good looks and stable, strong build a girl can depend on! Plus, that mysterious and exotic foreign birthplace…well…I was looking for something uncommon, and was tired of the same old chairs “next door”. This girl craved some variety! So I set my sites on how to make my way to Spain and met my new love in person!

I began with trying to find a home swap. I didn’t want to have to pay for a hotel and airfare, so I started scouring all the sites I have in the past…homeexchange.com and Home for exchange.com. (It is the lack of accessible properties or reliable information on accessibility on these sites that inspired TravabilityProperites.com, where one can swap, rent or buy accessible properties worldwide.) I had to figure out where my new love lived and try to find something close by,a hard task, made even more difficult as I needed a wheelchair accessible, or at least reasonably so…property. No luck when I need to go in May, yet it would appear the entire country went on holiday, just not until July and August. Nobody was leaving in May. Then my wise Australian business partner told me I should fly into Barcelona rather than Madrid (they were about equal distance away from Gandia where my love was waiting for me.) He said I should not miss the opportunity to tour Barcelona, as it was the home of the 19?? Paralympics and had made great strides in accessibility.

So I started a new search for swaps in Barcelona and got lucky! A young, hip couple wanted to come to south Florida in August and said I could have their apt in the city in May. No car, but close to public transit and an elevator to reach apt. A nice tub for a soak after a long day of sightseeing…I am in!

I quickly booked my tickets as the flight went up $300 in one day and only 2 seats left on direct flight from Miami to Barcelona. I was flying alone for my first time internationally, and meeting a friend there so I didn’t want to deal with a layover. 13 hours was bad enough! Whew!

American Airlines did a superb job at handling me and my wheelchair…even though my rigid frame Quickie Gti didn’t fit in to the cabin closet as it always does on most plane configurations…they took my Spinergy wheels off and stowed them and took the rest of my titanium chair and put it under the plane in baggage hold. It came back in perfect shape and the staff was so nice and friendly and made me feel very comfortable on my first long flight solo. I was even given bulk head seat and they now have a special check in desk for those who require special assistance …so I didn’t have to wait in line to check in.

Miami International also has a policy now that allows those with disabilities to drop off their luggage curb side and self-park while they hold your bags for you. Clearly I couldn’t be expected to drag my 70 pound bag full of 11 days of shoes, wardrobe, makeup and toiletries from the parking garage ☺

So I dropped of bags, headed for short term parking where it is free with modified vehicles with hand controls, parked, put my backpack on my back of chair, my duffle bag on my lap with all my “must haves” that will stay with me in flight. In case my bags are lost or delayed or in case of an “accident or illness—I have all needed supplies and meds, change of clothes, patch kit for Roho, extra tire tubes in case of flat, Roho air hawk cushion for my long seat ride, blow up neck roll, file with FAA guidelines for wheelchair passengers, and all my documents/numbers and itinerary for trip. If anyone wants a full check list I have developed for use on trips over the years, write us at Deborah.davis @pushliving.com and I will email.

I then go and checks bags, and have the nice wheelchair assistance folks do their job and escort me to my gate. They help me through security, which I need as they get me through with ease, and wait for me with my stuff while I get my friendly TSA pat down, I never had I had a unpleasant experience with those great folks whose job is to do this for wheelers, and I have done this many times. They are kind, and follow procedures with respect and dignity. That has been my experience. I also make a point to be exceptionally nice to them and thank them for a job well done.

So I arrive in Spain and meet my friend at baggage claim, rent a car and head right out to Port Olympia were we sit in the sun and eat fresh seafood tapas and have a glass of wine. After, we take a much needed nap, wake up late, hungry and decide to take rented car out to city and find some food. Note to first time visitors to Spain…they eat late…but not past 1am! And they have many surprise police road blocks that test you for drinking. AND they actually want you to have an international driver’s license. If you don’t, they will impound your car.

So be sure, to get one before you go. And take a cab or public transit if you plan on drinking on a night out in Barcelona. Parking is difficult downtown anyway.

The next day, we set out for the Familia ____but ended up enjoying the sunny day and the row of outdoor cafes lined up in the center of Gaudi Avenue. Outdoor market, cured meats and warm Spanish scarfs were in just the thing for this Florida Girl!

Later we asked a cabbie for a recommendation …and he took us to a great Restaurant known for it’s fresh seafood and celebrity visits, right near the ocean called Salamanca http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187497-d1007529-Reviews-Restaurante_Salamanca-Barcelona_Catalonia.html. They serve Black Paella, the best wines and have a classic ambiance and excellent service. They have an accessible restroom located in the back. I went outside to find the easiest entrance into the door.

The next day we went back to the Olympic Park and had lunch at one of the best seafood restaurants…El Cangrjo Loco. You can sit downstairs or upstairs with the view…but no elevator inside…or bathroom upstairs. To access upper level with views of water, you need to go to upper level of the plaza and approach the restaurant from that level.

We then went for a long walk along the ocean boardwalk…and were amazed at the ramps and wooden pathways across sand for closer water access on the beach all throughout the way.

Later we went to La Rambla – Barcelona, where they have the most fabulous statues of Lions.

You are highly encouraged to walk the Old Town or Gothic Town. Barri Gòtic – the Gothic quarter — at Barri Gothic – Barcelona. We were seeking a famous Jazz club, but found the venue had steep steps leading downstairs. They offered to carry us, but I was not keen. So we had plenty to do, in this amazing area with smooth and easy paved streets and so much fascinating things to explore. The Barri Gòtic is adjacent to the northeast side of the Ramblas, the famous street to stroll.

The next day we head out to Barcelona Zoo. My admission was free as was my companion. What a surprise!
I loved the elephants and they have a ramp to a high platform you can over see them from and right below are a pond of enormous hippos! They are such amazing creature up close!

There is not much there in way of food, so we walked across the street and found some outdoor cafes. We then made our way to another famous area-La Rambla Catalonia, where we were set to meet the most experienced accessible travel guru in Barcelona, Alan Broadbent of Disabled Accessible travel (good name huh..great for google search) http://www.disabledaccessibletravel.com/https://www.facebook.com/disabledaccessibletravel

His company is the main provider of accessible travel services in Barcelona and what a world of knowledge and history is this man! We had a lovely dinner at an outdoor café with Dr. Elizabeth Bancroft, who was doing a sabbatical in Spain, learning Spanish while living a single female in a $5000 a month accessible condo wheeling distance from all the best shopping and restaurants. Alan taught us all about the Catalonia culture and its influence in Barcelona. One fact that made such an impression is he told us that Spain’s President made a pledge that he wanted the country to be the most accessible country in the world. Let me tell you, so far, I am very impressed.

The next day we decided to take a hop on hop off Bus that was accessible and had taped guided tour info via provided ear buds. We started at Port Olympia…and had a drink at the famous and incredibly designed Hotel Arts Barcelona on the pool side patio overlooking the port.

After you can cross the street and grab the bus. We stopped at the Maseu Blau Museum where we looked at the Poisonous things exhibit. It’s amazing we are all not dead yet with all those things crawling around!

Next stop was Tibidabo, where we attempted to get a cable car to the Tibidabo teleferic station … We got off and couldn’t find our way, so we just started pushing up a very steep hill up a toney neighborhood until we saw a bus stop and a young man who was searching for the same place. He asked the bus driver and we found that we could take this bus, with an accessible ramp to the top where we could then take the ____ to the top of Tibidabo. The ____ was closed at 4:00 but we found an adorable little cliff side bar with a look out that was worth the trip! Note: we later found out that the Blue cable car that was advertised on Bus Tour to take us to Tibidabo is not wheelchair accessible.

Next, we walked from the last stop on the bus tour back to Old Town for a reserved Authentic Spanish Flamenco Show in an amazing old building with a candle lit courtyard and traditional old style furnishings and paintings. Espai Barroc is located on the opposite side from the Museu Picasso (which by the way—if you visit you don’t need to wait in long lines if you are a wheelchair user, there is a separate ticket window). http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187497-d606659-Reviews-Espai_Barroc-Barcelona_Catalonia.html

The streets are very smooth in Gothic Town as well as most everywhere we went throughout Barcelona. I didn’t bring my Freewheel for this trip and frankly didn’t miss it.

Now we are off for the main reason I came to Spain…to go to the seaside town of Gandia to pick up my new love…a love I have spent months developing and communicating via email. I selected the dimensions, the height width and the perfect custom color. My new love…an Oracing ridged frame suspension wheelchair with custom side guards, tapered front end, ergo seat with strips, leather frame protectors and even an original design push bar with padded handmade leather padded grips.

We were greeted by Felipe Garcia, the owner and a brilliant c-56 quadriplegic design and production genius who has built this company and built a team of the best from all over the world to come to Gandia and make custom wheelchairs, bikes and sport chairs. Bike-on.com is a dealer and who I purchased my new chair from with the help of dedicated and patient representative Stephen Feldman.

We were able to book the 4 star RH Bayren Hotel & Spa for less than $100 per night with an accessible room that had a gorgeous roll in shower. Ramps from the Hotel Pool to the boardwalk lead us to a smooth surface stroll on the famed beachfront. I recommend the Barracuda restaurant, as they have great casual food, wifi, a ramp and an accessible bathroom. Do not forgo the Spa massage here, with its sophisticated décor, well trained masseuses, and reasonable prices. After a 5 hour trip from Barcelona, it was just what I needed. For a great dinner, head a few blocks North from the Hotel to La Pizzeria, which contrary to its name, is an excellent upscale Italian restaurant with a ramp!

While in Gandia and while the most excellent team at Oracing where making some final changes to my chair, we were encouraged to drive south another 40 minutes to port town of Denia…where we had a fabulous meal at The Port Restaurant. Now this restaurant did not have an accessible bathroom and the only on I found was not quite so…with scary boarded ramp steeply entering in a storage room where the fully accessible bathroom was located. Loll!

When we got back to Oracing, just after 5pm, my chair was ready to take home. We doubled kissed our hosts Felipe Garcia, Owner and his fabulous production team goodbye and me and my new love took our long 5 hour journey back to Barcelona. On the way we stopped at the most scenic view on the southern side of the city where we stopped to take in the sun setting on a most successful trip.

We found an amazing little restaurant by using our rental car’s’ navigation system to select nearby restaurants. We just picked one in close proximity that we liked the name of and took a chance and followed our guide. We showed up at the La Cupula, and to our surprise we arrived at an accessible, cliff side, breathtaking, movie scene like location. We panicked a bit as we sat down until we saw that the prices were not going to break the bank!

The following day we decided to take the car out of Barcelona for the most scenic and amazing drive I have ever experienced. …but not one for the faint of heart! As you drive the windy two lane mountain side road up to the Monastery of Montserrat, you will want to go slow and take in the breathtaking views!

Once you get to the very top, you can park, but I did not see any reserved spaces for wheelchairs, so I would recommend you get dropped off close to the entrance, as the parking is located below a steep climb up a slope.

The sun came out, and we enjoyed the lookout, the architectural wonder of this landmark Benedictine abbey and basilica. Tip: A little trolly—no ramp but they carried me in, will take you up to the main entrance. A good thing as the wind was blowing, and I was freezing up there! They have a funicular- a steep Incline you can take to the top of the mountain from the station there, and if you are inclined, a mass, a black virgin statue (not accessible) and a boys’ choir.

The final day I was back at terminal 1 and was pleasantly surprised that the airport police said we could park our car at the entrance for as long as needed so I could be assisted with my luggage into the terminal for my flight back to Miami. Another special wheelchair assistance desk awaited me, and I was told I could take my old chair back free of charge as it was “medical equipment.” YAY.

So, as you can see, there is much to fall in Love with about Spain. Barcelona and Oracing both did not disappoint, and I recommend both for the best of PushLiving!

Spain