What is an OSSATA & why do we need one?
A generic ‘healthy groceries’ shopping list?
April 21, 2006Personal networks beat agencies every time!
April 25, 2006Wish I could go here there & everywhere!
In response to a Survey into barriers confronting tourists with disabilities, the Access for All Alliance suggests we follow Europe and establish a One-Stop Shop for Accessible Tourists in Europe (OSSATE).
In Australia, since February 2005, Decipher Technologies has been providing Australian small to medium tourism businesses with objective facts & figures and expert analysis from ‘focused professionals’,BUT they do not broach the needs of the disabled tourist. It seems that the parent body the Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) does not have accessible tourism on its research agenda.
What would be the size of the disabled tourist market?
In Europe there are 127 million people with disabilities, a potential travel market of >89 million plus a multiplier effetc of friends and family members.The total potential market is 134 million, a percentage of which would want to travel to Australia. In Australia this market segment is >4 million.
The suggestion is for a variety of stakeholders to join in the creation, production and marketing of products and services of relevance to the disabled community. A co-ordinated website linked to a central database could:
- leverage local/national knowledge and expertise
- promote accessible tourism
- ensure network collaboration at a national and international level.
Survey Results from 1307 people across all disabilities
- 42.7% with physical disability had difficulty finding suitable accommodation;
- 36% found hotels/motels showed the international symbol for access, but accommodation was not wheelchair accessible;
- 80% with vision impairment said hotels/motels/ museums etc lacked audio display;
- 86.7% with vision impairment highlighted the lack of braille and/or tactile signage in hotels/motels, tourist venues;
- 100% with hearing impairment said there were no visual alarms for emergency egress;
- 100% with hearing impairment said airports do not provide visual information to complement public address systems;
- 18.7% found mobility aids taken on a flight, damaged on arrival.
NB
- Decipher Technologies is a fully owned subsidiary of Australia’s largest tourism research body, Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre. Headquartered in Brisbane, Decipher Technologies has offices also in Lismore, Canberra and Sydney. It comprises over a dozen current team members, leading tourism business people and respected industry achievers, in addition to its Board led by Sir Frank Moore and is supported by State and Territory Tourism organisations.
- The Survey “A Survey & Report on the barriers confronted by people with disabilities when they travel on holidays and visit tourist venues” was conducted by the Access for All Alliance, based at River Heads, Queensland.
T/F: 07 4125 7771
