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| Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Matt Stockel, Fin Coll, Cerge co-founder Victoria Kerrisk, Spinal Life Australia Senior Advisor – Access & Advocacy, Cerge co-founder Chris Kerrisk, Spinal Life Business Diversity and Inclusion Officer Brendan Somerville, Sunshine Coast Council Tourism Lead Amanda Fernandes and Sunshine Coast Council Community Development Officer Jane Goodwin at the launch of the Access Accelerator program on the Sunshine Coast |
Spinal Life Australia and Cérge successfully applied for a Queensland Government Accessible Tourism Enablers Grant as part of the Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland.
The program aims to empower businesses and equip them with the knowledge, tools and confidence to create accessible tourism destinations through immersive disability awareness training, adoption of appropriate technology, guided access and sharing of real-life stories of inclusion experienced by customers.
The Access Accelerator program followed research* which revealed that up to 1.3 million Australians are represented in the accessible tourism sector but service and hospitality staff did not always understand the requirements of people travelling with a disability. The Access Accelerator program aims to remove this as a barrier to inclusion in the tourism industry.
Spinal Life Australia and Cérge’s new program combines immersive disability awareness training and technology to promote an inclusive and accessible experience to all visitors.
Visit Sunshine Coast CEO, Matt Stoeckel, welcomed the launch of the Access Accelerator program and its delivery across the region.
“As a destination we know it’s important to be more inclusive and this is a step in the right direction. The Access Accelerator program will give tourism operators on the Sunshine Coast the tools to better cater to the accessible tourism market. The program will enable the participating tourism operators to better understand the accessible tourism market and improve the experience for those travelling with a disability. We are eager to work closely with Spinal Life Australia and Cérge to ensure our local tourism operators embrace accessibility and create memorable experiences for every visitor,” says Mr Stoeckel.
Chris Kerrisk, Co-founder of Cérge, also put forward his support for partnering with Spinal Life in the successful delivery of this program.
"We are proud to be partnering with Spinal Life Australia to deliver this transformative program," says Mr Kerrisk. "Through the Access Accelerator, businesses will not only enhance their services for customers with disability but also gain a competitive edge in the growing accessible tourism market.”
The Access Accelerator program is slated to kick off in October 2023, with a series of industry-leading workshops and training sessions for participating tourism organisations to gain first-hand insight into what it may be like to have a disability. These workshops will be spread across multiple delivery dates to accommodate business operations and staff turnover, ensuring maximum participation and impact.
Dane Cross, Senior Advisor – Access & Advocacy of Spinal Life Australia, is thrilled to be part of this next step in championing accessibility within tourism.
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| example of support for accessible tourism on the Sunshine Coast – Mooloolaba |
Spinal Life Australia and Cérge extend their gratitude to the Queensland Government for recognising the importance of accessible tourism and supporting this scalable and transformative initiative. The funding success underscores the collective commitment to building a more inclusive and accessible Queensland.
Sunshine Coast tourism operators are encouraged to involve themselves in the new program by completing an Expression of Interest at https://visitsc.au/access
About Spinal Life Australia
Spinal Life Australia is a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to championing accessibility, inclusivity, and empowerment for people with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities. With a rich legacy of more than 60 years, Spinal Life Australia has been at the forefront of driving positive change in the lives of individuals with mobility challenges. Spinal Life Australia is passionate about building a more inclusive and accessible Queensland, where every person, regardless of their abilities, can fully participate in all aspects of life. Through collaborative efforts and transformative initiatives, the organisation is paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future for individuals with spinal cord injuries and physical disabilities. For more information about Spinal Life Australia and their transformative Access Accelerator program: https://www.spinal.com.au/.About Cérge:
Cérge is a set of companion technologies solving two of the biggest barriers to community participation for the disability community – a lack of public information about venue/destination accessibility and how people are perceived and treated by service teams. With both parties using the technology, app users can let businesses know when they’re about to arrive and any particular requirements they may have, creating a better customer experience for all. Imagine having your own personal disability advocate in your pocket to overcome social barriers, fears and anxieties to improve confidence and community participation.
About the Year of Accessible Tourism (YOAT):
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| example of support for accessible tourism on the Sunshine Coast – Mooloolaba |
* About the research
Tourism Research Australia, Strategic Regional Research Reports, Accessible Tourism in Victoria and Queensland, https://www.tra.gov.au/Archive-TRA-Old-site/Research/View-all-publications/All-Publications/Destination-Visitor-Survey-results/Strategic-regional-research-reports/accessible-tourism-victoria-queensland & https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/2018*Visit Sunshine Coast Ltd
#visitsunshinecoast #sunshinemoment | www.visitsunshinecoast.com
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*Peter Hook peter.hook@visitsunshinecoast.com
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