Push Adventures

With the Welcome Framework being published earlier this week, I want to invite more tourism operators to be accessible and inclusive and I'm exploring the idea of setting up a tailored online community where tourism professionals can get support to apply the Welcome Framework and to learn, share insights, get feedback and support each other to grow the Australian accessible tourism industry.

What to expect;
✅Engaged community of committed tourism professionals
✅Ask me anything – 1 hour monthly zoom Community Meet Up
✅Meet an expert – regular presentations from guest speakers
✅Content and resources based on the Welcome framework and MORE
✅General accessible tourism advice and guidance
✅Additional resources will be made available for purchase.

Tag a tourism operator that would find this support valuable.

Introductory offer ends 16 June 2024.

Make sure you submit an expression of interest to take advantage of early bird pricing. https://pushadventures.com.au/community/

Clair

A Community for Tourism Professionals - Push Adventures Join a community of committed tourism professionals and help shape the future of the Australian accessible tourism industry.

The Albanese Labor Government will create more employment opportunities for Australians living with disability by connecting them with meaningful work in the visitor economy.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Tourism Minister Don Farrell today announced $3.3 million to establish a Visitor Economy Disability Pilot to help people living with disability secure sustained jobs in tourism.

The Pilot will address barriers previously identified by small and medium tourism businesses in recruiting, retaining and progressing staff with disability. This includes a lack of time or capability to recruit people living with disability, confusion on how or where to seek support, and employment service providers focusing on supporting jobseekers-only rather than also on employers.

Read more by clicking the link below!

Creating job opportunities for people living with disability in the visitor economy | Department of Social Services Ministers 6 September 2022 Joint with: Senator the Hon Don Farrell Special Minister of State Minister for Trade and Tourism Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate The Albanese Labor Government will create more employment opportunities for Australians living with disability by connecting them with meani...

Scott has signed up to ride in the 7th Project Discovery cycling tour, to be held in the mid-north of South Australia from 3-5 November!

As always, the ride raises money to fund spinal cord injury research at the Neil Sachse Centre, at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

You can sponsor Scott and leave a message to cheer him on by clicking this link: https://www.mycause.com.au/p/289498/scott-crowley

We look forward to supporting Scott as he hand cycles in this annual event to raise significant funds for spinal cord injury research!

📷 - SAHMRI

A brilliant 30 second video from Cadbury Fingers highlighting inclusiveness.

What do you think?

Cadbury Fingers partners with the National Deaf Children’s Society | The Drum Cadbury Fingers has partnered with the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) for the latest chapter in its ‘For Fingers Big and Small’ campaign.

We love this!

There is nothing like living a full life and doing what you love, wouldn't you agree?

'It's a game-changer': Adaptive mountain bike advancements help pro riders return to competitive racing Advancements in adaptive mountain bike technology is helping professional riders return to competitive racing after life-changing crashes left them unable to participate in the sport they love.

This is an interesting piece from National Park Service accessibility specialist Quinn Brett, about park catching up with wheelchair technology, increasing access to the wilderness

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/disability-hiking-national-parks-accessibility/

Is there somewhere you would love to see become more accessible and open to everyone?

Adapting national parks for wheelchair hiking The trails through our public lands weren’t designed for wheelchairs, but new wheelchairs are designed for those trails. National Park Service accessibility specialist Quinn Brett wants parks to catch up with wheelchair technology, increasing access to American wilderness.

Toilets are a necessity for locals and visitors alike, but let's be honest, finding a public toilet isn't always the easiest and many businesses have toilets only for customers.

Finding an accessible toilet can be even trickier, but there is a very simple solution

The national public toilet map!

Yes, its a thing, really!

This online resource is fantastic! It has so many details!

https://toiletmap.gov.au/

Whilst Accessible Japan certainly has a focus on wheelchair access, we love that it includes some other inclusive elements such as Japanese Braille!

Japanese Braille - Accessible Japan The Japanese braille system is based on the original braille script and is known as “tenji” (literally, “dot characters”) in Japanese.

If Vienna has ever been on your bucket list, then check this out!

Find information on hotels, sightseeing, transport and so much more!

If culture is your thing then Vienna has over 100 museums and amazing architecture!

Classical music lovers will be in their element, as Vienna was home to some of the worlds best.....Beethoven, Mozart.

Plus they have incredible coffee and cake, and that ticks the boxes for so many of us!

Click: https://www.wien.info/en/travel-info/accessible-vienna

📷 - www.wien.info

Details are important to everyone, but when you have accessibility to factor into your plans, details are even more important.

We encourage businesses to really think about the information they provide to their audience, what might seem like a small detail could make a massive difference.

For example, a room map with dimensions including door width, space between the wall and the bed can make a massive difference to someone in a wheelchair. Alternatively, for someone with IBS, a clear map of your experience with bathrooms clearly indicated with distances can be a game changer.

Talk to us if your business needs some assistance.

https://pushadventures.com.au/the-importance-of-site-maps-and-floor-plans/

The importance of site maps and floor plans - Push Adventures Maps are an integral part of supporting an accessible experience, but what details should you include help the accessible travel community be confident in participating? Here’s a few things to consider; Distances between key attractions/areas Variances in elevation Steps Lifts Difference is surfac...

Expedia's recent Inclusive Travel Whitepaper shows that 92% of consumers think it’s important for travel providers to meet the accessibility needs of all travelers.

Overall, one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, live with a disability, and have nearly half a trillion dollars in disposable income. And they spend $95 billion on travel alone each year.

In Australia, that's an $8 billion market that your business should be open to! What are you waiting for?!

Click here to read the report: https://go2.advertising.expedia.com/inclusive-travel-report-2022

Braille in public places is becoming more and more prevalent. This is a great resource including parks, street signs, transport etc.

Tell us where you have come across braille in recent times!

https://brailleaustralia.org/finding-braille/public/

Braille in public spaces | Australian Braille Authority Braille in public spaces The Australian Braille Authority is pleased to report on the increasing availability of braille for accessibility throughout Australia. Here, we list known provision of braille in the following places: braille menus, braille street signs, braille and tactile maps, braille in...

I came across this podcast that might interest those of your with working dogs, or just dog lovers in general!

Marcie Davis has been a paraplegic for more than 40 years and has partnered with service dogs for more than 20 years.

She has a blog and podcast all about working dogs; from services dogs for wounded veterans, to explosive detection dogs, guide dogs and so much more!

Check out Working Like Dogs here: https://workinglikedogs.com/podcast

Working Like Dogs Podcast | Service Dog, Assistance Dog and Working Dog Stories | Working Like Dogs Get expert advice on our Working Like Dogs podcast. Episodes are full of valuable information and entertaining working dog stories. We talk about the latest topics and trends, including how to keep your dog healthy, service dog training programs, and more.

Yes yes yes! Australian Traveller

We'd rate you with a gold star for including a statement about access in the details of this article!

Thank you from the whole accessible travel community, keep up the great work! 🙌

Read the review and check out the hotel here: https://hotelbendigo.com.au/rooms/suite-1/

Review: Bendigo Ernest Hotel - Australian Traveller Step inside the Bendigo Ernest Hotel: a heartfelt reminder that Victoria holds treasure troves of hidden wonders within its colonial shrouds.

A travel decision is critically based on knowing what to expect of an activity or on arrival at a destination.

Inclusive Tourism assists travellers in reducing uncertainty around what to expect. Through provision of information it creates choice and instils confidence to people enabling them to sign up for new experiences.

According to new data released by Expedia Group, consumers are paying attention to how inclusive current travel offerings are when searching and booking.

While the travel industry has made strides, there is a need for continued improvement across the industry. Only 54 percent of consumers said they have seen options that are accessible to all abilities, and just 52 percent have seen options that are inclusive of all types of travellers.

Our role at Push Adventures is to help you open your experience up to everyone - contact us to help!

Travellers come with a range of needs, human diversity is what makes us individuals!

✅ Do you, as a tourism operator, cater for diversity across ages and abilities?
✅ Are you welcoming to a wide range of guests?
✅ Can everyone participate in your facility or service?

Tell us what your business does to welcome everyone.

If you need some help, don't hesitate to contact us too!

America has some of the most amazing national parks in the world!

In this article by Lonely Planet, they look at six of them and what they offer in terms of accessibility for all

Share with us any other national parks you know around the world and Australia that have great accessibility features.

6 of the best national parks for persons with disabilities - Lonely Planet As national parks look for ways to better serve travelers with disabilities, here are the top parks doing it right.

Maps are an integral part of supporting an accessible experience, but what details should you include to help the accessible travel community be confident in participating?

Learn more in our recent blog: https://pushadventures.com.au/the-importance-of-site-maps-and-floor-plans/

The importance of site maps and floor plans - Push Adventures Maps are an integral part of supporting an accessible experience, but what details should you include help the accessible travel community be confident in participating? Here’s a few things to consider; Distances between key attractions/areas Variances in elevation Steps Lifts Difference is surfac...

How does a blind adventurer hike to the top of a volcano? Join Amar, a fun-loving and spontaneous adventurer pushing his limits to the max to take on experiences that will challenge his senses.

Watch this video, part of the Next Turn series from Expedia - exploring Panama

The Next Turn - An Original Travel Series Sometimes unplanned experiences leave the biggest impact.

Victoria Falls has become the first tourism destination in Zimbabwe to embrace the inclusive tourism concept in the region following the installation of braille plaques at the airport and rainforest.

Victoria Falls sets pace in inclusive tourism modelling Bulawayo's most popular daily newspaper

It's so exciting when you see a picture like this pop up in your feed.

This Luxepod at Point Turton Caravan Park looks like a place to add to our travel list!

Their website also had lots of images so you can get a good overview of the cabin and it's suitability for your needs

There’s nothing like enjoying a little luxury while on holidays! ✨✨

👨‍🦽The two bedroom Luxepods are wheelchair accessible with a modern and stylish design! 💫

More info and pics on the website. Click on the link below 🤩

🔗 https://pointturtoncp.com.au/accommodation/luxepod-2-bedroom/

Here is the second ad in the See Me For Me Campaign

We love this series from the SA Government as they work to make South Australia more inclusive and accessible.

People are not defined by their disability, so let’s shift the narrative and start to see disability as another form of diversity in society.

See Me for Me - Annette https://www.seemeforme.sa.gov.au

Travelling is stressful for everyone, but can be even more so for those in our community who have hidden disabilities such as autism, anxiety, dementia, mental health conditions, visual impairments, deaf or hard of hearing.

What a great initiative from Adelaide Airport

Do you know any other airports that have options like this in place?

They say a picture tells 1000 words but it doesn't always tell the full story.

We know airports can be busy and stressful places, especially if you are unsure what to expect. It is even more stressful when you have a disability that is not immediately obvious to airport staff. Hidden Disabilities can include autism, anxiety, dementia, mental health conditions, visual impairments, deaf or hard of hearing.

In the weeks leading up to this little guy's trip, his family were very anxious about how he would manage the airport, but with the help of this sunflower lanyard, they were met with empathy and kindness. 🌻

While he might be wearing a mask, you can still see the happy look on his face!

At Adelaide Airport we want to ensure that everyone’s journey is as seamless as possible. Wearing a sunflower lanyard is a discreet way to indicate to our team that you may need a little extra help, guidance or time with the airport processes. Our team have been trained to recognise the lanyard and provide the assistance and support you may need.

If you or someone you are travelling with has a hidden disability, you can request a hidden disability lanyard, Visit https://bit.ly/3ObClZH

See Me For Me - we love this new ad campaign!

Another great step to see South Australia become more inclusive and accessible!

See Me For Me - Charles https://www.seemeforme.sa.gov.au

Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters in Port Stephens is a great opportunity to learn about these sometimes misunderstood creatures. Rays are apparently quite friendly! Fiddler Rays in particular will happily come and sit in your lap! It's not quite like a cat, but a unique experience nonetheless!

And accessibility is very important to them! They have worked hard to ensure that everyone can enjoy their Irukandji visit. Walkways and ramps make for good access and the friendly staff will help you into waders and into the water in the shallow tank where the Fiddler Rays will happily come and say hello!

https://sharkencounters.com.au/facility-info/accessibility/

Tell us if you have been here or done something similar!

Dreaming of sunny skies and beach days...........we all know that Australian beaches are the best in the world, but it's not exactly beach weather right now!

If you happen to be heading to the US and a beach trip is on the cards, Conde Nast Traveler have just published this great article about accessibility, covering everything from beach mats, access points, motorised hires to parking.

Tell us which one you would like to visit!

https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/10-wheelchair-accessible-beaches-in-the-us

10 Wheelchair Accessible Beaches in the U.S., From Florida to Hawaii From installing beach access mats to offering all-terrain wheelchairs, these beach destinations are making the coast more accessible to all.

Heading to sunny Darwin these school holidays? We highly recommend Barramundi Adventures Darwin !

These guys are a land-based barramundi-fishing farm and it is a safe, wheelchair accessible and ideal way to introduce the kids and beginners to the thrills of catching their first fish!

Plus it's great for die -hard fishermen and women that are restricted at times, to land based fishing due to adverse weather.