Melissa James is the CEO and Founder of Inclusive Tourism, and a qualified access consultant, specialising in the accessible tourism space."It's an incredibly valuable market, it makes up about 11 per cent of domestic tourism spent. So that's huge, up around $8 billion a year is what this market is worth," she said."Most people don't travel alone, they travel with a group, so you have a multiplying factor that goes on there," she said.
"If we think about something as simple as you've got a cafe and a group of people want to come in into your cafe and have a coffee. Now, if one of those people uses a wheelchair, or a walking frame or a walking stick, and they have to go up steps to get into your cafe, they're not going to go there.Elyce Tunbridge started her tour business in regional WA just as COVID hit.
"I just saw this huge gap in the market and am looking to increase accessibility for people to get to these places," Ms Tunbridge said."I've tried to be as accommodating as I can with what I've got, and already, I've had people who have come on my tours who are legally blind, who use frames, people with walking sticks, all sorts of different disabilities, but we've accommodated them as best we can.
"It's also highlighted the flexibility, the way that we can all accommodate people with different needs and give them an equal experience.Chris Kerr is an ABC Regional Storyteller Scholarship winner, a partnership initiative with
Just finished a drive from Kununurra to Esperance. Most National Parks along the way are VERY well appointed with disabled access & amenities. The Mcgowanites have done a brilliant job.