Special Report: Improve and promote your accessible accom

Improve and promote your accessible accom

By Mandy Clarke, Editor

Did you know that one-in-fi ve Australians live with a disability? And for many, good holiday experiences are highly desired but a distant dream. This month I investigate how well our short stay management rights sector caters to a largely forgotten market and I ask if we are missing out on massive opportunities?

It is common for people with disabilities to face barriers that non-disabled people do not. When travelling, oft en times this is not just down to a lack of suitable accessible accommodation but because they are deprived of good information, appropriate facilities, and positive att itudes. There is a misconception that accessible accommodation means fully wheelchair adapted apartments or guest rooms, but this is not always the case. Why? Because there is a 'no one size fi ts all' approach to disability, because everyone is diff erent and disability doesn’t discriminate. Michael Johnson, CEO of Tourism Accommodation Australia, told me that catering for people with disabilities is very much part and parcel of the industry and many hotels do it well. New properties must provide a percentage of accessible rooms to meet the requirements of the building code, but he notes that some may not fully promote their accessible off erings. He said: “It makes sense for accommodation providers to market their user-friendly facilities to people with disabilities.” Peter Yeo, the Honorary President of the PointZero5 Disability Campaign says fi nding accurate information when booking accommodation is a hurdle for people with disabilities. Peter acquired a life changing physical disability aft er a fall over twenty years ago and when he began to use a wheelchair, he says it was a challenge to fi nd suitable accommodation in Noosa. His struggle inspired the “National Disability Campaigns Checklist” which rates accessible accommodation.

Today Peter remains shocked that the industry still isn’t fully paying att ention to people with disabilities. “Why aren’t more people improving their accessible accommodation? They are missing out on 25 percent

of the population by not making some simple changes” he said.

According to Peter, it would make sense for resorts to create fully wheelchair accessible bathrooms when they renovate. It would be no more expensive than a standard bathroom renovation but would make life much easier for people with disabilities.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council Chief Executive Daniel Gschwind argues that it is important for the tourism industry to embrace the oft enoverlooked disability and accessibility-challenged sector of the visitor economy and to make every eff ort to be more inclusive and welcoming to all. “Ensuring that tourism is accessible to all is not only an important step in achieving a more inclusive Queensland, but it also translates to bett er business.

“Prior to the pandemic, people living with an accessibility challenge or disability contributed a staggering $10.8 billion in tourism spending to the Australian economy. The signifi cant dollars highlight the extent of the opportunity for our tourism sector and operators. “Despite the clear benefi ts, there are still gaps within our industry in providing accessible experiences and facilities to all guests. “For this reason, QTIC as part of the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC), has consulted with TravAbility to produce an accessibility self-assessment module. The module provides businesses with a toolkit to

When a person with a disability books a room, it is likely that the occupancy level of the entire property increases.

evaluate how inclusive their experience offering is for people with accessibility limitations. “Accessible tourism is about much more than wheelchair ramps and building accessible bathrooms. We must also cater for travellers with children in prams, seniors with reduced mobility, vision impairments, people with food intolerances and those with language difficulties. “While there is still a long way to go, our industry is making significant inroads in ensuring that Queensland is accessible to every visitor and consumer”. Kerry Williams the founder of both disability-friendly website, Accessible Accommodation as well as its sister website, Accessible Experiences, is both a carer and an accommodation provider. This gives her a unique perspective when identifying opportunities the sector could be missing out on. She said: “Do you know that many NDIS participants have up to 28 days respite available to them? They are keen to book holiday accommodation, but NDIS only pays on departure, which puts many operators off. To resolve this, our booking service can secure payments and, in some cases, pay the accommodation in advance.”

During the pandemic Kerry also identified the need for people with disabilities to book medium-term stays. She said: “Many people with disabilities needed to move from their home environment to isolate and stay safe, for instance their household may have included a front-line worker or someone who tested positive for COVID.” Other times people with newly acquired disabilities need to book accommodation while their home is being modified. An accessible apartment in a management rights resort could be the ideal fit.

Despite there being a huge demand for accessible accommodation Kerry says many providers do not prioritise marketing to people with disabilities. She suggests fear is the reason why they don’t. “The main worry is that the rooms aren’t good enough and will lead to bad reviews. This is because many operators do not fully understand disability or even what accessibility means,” she said. Kerry also makes an important point, that 40 percent of people with a disability travel with carers or support workers, meaning more than one room is usually required. She says by ignoring this market operators are losing out on an incredible business opportunity. This means when a person with a disability books a room, it is likely that the occupancy level of your entire resort increases. Kerry adds, do not forget there is also a growing number of cashed up baby boomers who seek the convenience of easy access and a step free shower. “I think it just makes good business sense to make the most of accessible facilities and market them well,” she said.

ARAMA CEO Trevor Rawnsley wholeheartedly agrees the sector has an opportunity to attract more people with disabilities. He suggests older properties consider retrofitting more accessible facilities, and when they do, they should “shout about it” on their website and booking platforms. He said: “People with disabilities want to know what accommodation is on offer, and the choices they have.” Julie Jones, from the Have Wheelchair Will Travel blog writes about holidaying alongside son Braeden, who lives with cerebral palsy. She told Accom News that although “Australian hotel operators have made great advances in meeting the needs of disabled people”, they are still “lacking detailed information and photos on their websites”. Reminding us that disabilities come in a myriad of forms, each presenting a different set of challenges, she said: “I had one of my readers contact me to say she had a daughter on the autism spectrum. She was desperate for a holiday, but her daughter had such specific sensory challenges including not being in a room that was a certain colour.

“So, accommodation providers need to understand that people aren't being difficult if they are asking really specific questions about a property. Communication is key to make it a good experience for both parties.” Michael and Karen Cross are the onsite managers of popular Gold Coast holiday resort, Dorchester on the Beach and are the winners of ARAMA Resident Managers (short stay) Award 2021. They proudly offer a choice of lovely wheelchair friendly apartments within their resort. Michael told me that their accessible apartments are very much in demand, and he agrees that communication is a very important part of the booking process. Karen confirms that their threebedroom apartments work well for individuals with various disabilities.

She said: “Recently we had some wonderful guests with Autism stay in one of our three-bedroom apartments. They came for a holiday alongside their carers and had a lovely time despite the rain! The spacious three-bedroom apartment really worked well for them, because it suited their specific needs and circumstances.”

With the plea from Australian of the Year 2022, Paralympic champion Dylan Alcott in mind, when he asked for “people with disabilities to be given the opportunity to start living their lives just like everybody else”. I suggest our sector strives to be more inclusive and accessible not only because it is the right thing to do but also because it risks missing out on a growing market.

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What to do?

Audit your property from the perspective of a wheelchair user (hire a wheelchair for a day) and highlight simple changes that can be immediately made. When planning a refurbishment, go fully wheelchair accessible.

Open channels of communication with guests with disabilities. Ask yourself how welcome would they feel at your property? Good communication is everything, so simply ask your guests what they need and how you can help.

Does your website and booking platforms provide clear information and images about accessible rooms, facilities, and experiences? Does your marketing plan reach people with disabilities?

Finally, lose any fears you may have, people with disabilities just want what every other guest wants - a great accommodation experience! So, treat your guests with disabilities with the same level of excellent service you offer to all.