Every year Tourism and Events Queensland identify a theme as the focus for the year, and this year’s theme is Accessible Tourism.
In 2017, a Tourism Research Australia study found that visitors with a disability spent $3.3 billion on tourism accounting for 17 per cent of all tourism expenditure, and on average, travellers with a disability account for 21 per cent of all day trips and spend 5 per cent more.
The Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland is an opportunity to recognise the importance of accessible tourism experiences for all, to ignite change and create opportunities for our Rockhampton region and Central Queensland tourism businesses.
Whilst there is always more work that can be done in this space, our region already offers some amazing accessible tourism experiences.
The Nurim Circuit Elevated Boardwalk at Mount Archer (Nurim) is wheelchair accessible with a short, level path from the carpark to the viewing platforms, allowing safe and easy access for prams and wheelchairs to take in the beautiful vista of the region and learn about Darumbal culture in our Explore Rockhampton self-guided tour app.
The Rockhampton Museum of Art is fully wheelchair accessible with and caters for vision impairments and a hearing loop system to support people with hearing aids.
Rockhampton Zoo offers wheelchair accessible options for their Meerkat Encounter, with paths throughout the zoo being wheelchair and pram friendly.
We are also fortunate to have two wheelchair accessible land-based fishing platforms, so catching a trophy barra from the banks of the Fitzroy (Tunuba) is just a fishing line cast away.
To brush up on your history, the Archer Park and Mount Morgan Railway Museums offer accessible friendly experiences for visitors, and we have modern apartment hotels such as Empire Apartment Hotel, who not only cater with accessible rooms, but also provide a swimming pool hoist so that people with mobility impairments can also enjoy the hotel facilities.
Accessibility is considered in all our major events, not just with wheelchair access, but also with sensory areas to accommodate those who would like some quiet time to take it all in. We also have self-guided audio tours available on the Explore Rockhampton app, which include written text and narrative audio, images and video to ensure visitors can enjoy the tour in their own way.
A focus on accessibility when we talk about tourism is important to ensure we can welcome a wide range of visitors to Rockhampton.
It will also help change the perception of what it means to be an accessible tourism business and promote accessible tourism experiences in our region.
This year Advance Rockhampton are developing an Accessible Tourism Campaign in consultation with industry experts, and our colleagues at Tourism and Events Queensland, that will focus on the development and promotion of accessible and inclusive experiences in our region.
If you would like more information or would like to be part of our upcoming campaign development, please reach out to us at tourism@rrc.qld.gov.au
For more information about our latest tourism campaigns, visit advancerockhampton.com.au
