Accessible tourism is a huge business opportunity for New Zealand, but most businesses in the sector are not yet tapping into this potential market.
As the tourism industry looks for ways to recover from Covid-19, there is a largely untapped market that could be the key to rebuilding the sector. The World Tourism Organisation said in December 2020 that: “Ensuring accessibility for tourists with specific access requirements can be a ‘game changer’ for destinations around the world as they look to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic.”
Be. Lab, with its roots in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, was built on a vision for a social change movement with a strong focus on access tourism. Ten years later, we worked to ensure that the 36th America's Cup was as accessible as possible. We have always championed the importance of accessible tourism – and the opportunity for New Zealand to become the most accessible tourist destination in the world. The opportunity is enormous- and the statistics speak for themselves.
Our Access 2020 survey showed that 83% of New Zealanders with access needs regularly travel around the country, contributing to other local economies. But the same survey also shows that over half of respondents with an access need are denied access to activities and events they want to participate in because of inaccessibility. These include going on cruises and guided tours, attending sports and cultural events, and visiting theme parks, zoos and aquariums. Accessible tourist destinations that address this problem immediately open up a new market.
If you also take into account international visitors, you’re looking at a high value market segment with huge revenue potential, because the access traveller market now represents a massive 25% of global tourism. Statistics show that there are 1 million access citizens in New Zealand and more than 2 billion disabled people in the world. They are all potential customers for your tourism business – and loyal and lucrative customers too.
Research shows that access travellers are more easily converted into regular consumers and tend to take longer holiday breaks than average (so spending more money per trip). There’s a multiplier effect, too, because they are likely to travel with friends, and family: on average every access tourist will travel with at least two companions.
Despite this demand, there are still huge gaps in the availability of accessible tourism. International research indicates that 50% of access citizens globally would travel more if they could be sure of the facilities at each destination. This is an open goal for tourism businesses wanting to expand their markets. Whether you are a hotel or a visitor destination, this is an opportunity worth taking seriously.
The economic benefits for business is clear, and there are enormous potential benefits for the New Zealand economy too. New Zealand has a strong international reputation for being clean and green, imagine if "accessible" was added to that list of reasons to make New Zealand a holiday destination!
Demographics are in favour of access tourism, whether you’re looking at retired baby boomers or millennials who prioritise experiences over material goods.
Baby boomers have the highest rates of impairment, are the fastest growing tourist market in the world and have the highest discretionary spend of any group. They remain active and adventurous in retirement, when tourism takes centre stage in their search for interesting experiences. And there are a lot of them: Statistics New Zealand’s pre-pandemic figures showed that 30% of our international visitors are aged 55+.
Looking at working-age people, research shows that millennials travel more than other generations, wanting a chance to see new places and enjoy a new social scene, to experience culture and to go shopping. The 30% of professional millennials who identify as having a disability are no different from their peers in terms of these aspirations, but their needs are not yet being met.
Creating a positive visitor experience for these groups means putting accessibility at the forefront, for example by providing wheelchair accessible vehicles, adapted hotel rooms or large-print menus. So if you provide that access – and advertise the fact – it can give you a competitive edge.
It’s also worth remembering that accessible tourism isn’t just about people with disabilities. It benefits anyone who wants to access a tourism experience with ease – which could also, for example, be people travelling with children in prams.
Be. Lab has the expertise to help you rethink your products and services to ensure you are meeting the needs of access citizens.
Get in touch to learn about how we can work with you to develop a bespoke accessibility plan for your tourism business.