The Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport has announced the Accessible Tourism Queensland Fund to support small to medium size tourism and events businesses to develop or enhance accessibility for people of all abilities.
Funding through the Awareness and Capability Program will go towards extending the Accessible Tourism in Queensland project, which will include the remaining tourism destinations across Queensland – Bundaberg, Capricorn, Gladstone, Mackay, Southern Queensland and the Whitsundays – which will complete state-wide assessment of tourism infrastructure accessibility and tourism business capability.
The 2023 Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland includes:
- $10 million Accessible Tourism Queensland Fund
- $1 million Awareness and Capability Program
- $1 million Visitor Experience Development initiative.
Awareness and Capability Program support will also be for activities that raise awareness of accessibility needs and disability services support for visitors, workers and the community.
Funding will also be dedicated to build the capability of tourism businesses to support workers with disability, including any sharing of resources developed across Queensland to ensure operators have the skills to employ workers with a disability.
The Visitor Experience Development stream will deliver targeted initiatives that promote the accessible tourism experience in Queensland for visitors of all abilities, collating Queensland accessible tourism experiences information, capturing images, videos and stories on accessible tourism businesses and a marketing campaign.
These initiatives will provide greater destination experiences for visitors of all abilities holidaying in Queensland and provide legacy outcomes, including built infrastructure and skills development for tourism operators, across the state in preparation for Brisbane 2032.
The Year of Accessible Tourism will change the perception of what it means to be an accessible tourism business; tourism businesses will be supported to develop a wider range of accessible tourism itineraries and promote their accessible tourism destinations and experiences in Queensland.
