Accessibility Consulting Service
GUEST EXPERIENCE CONSULTANT FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
Accessibility Guest Experience Consultant to the Tourism Industry.
Are you looking to roll out the red carpet and make your property disability friendly? Not sure what boxes you need to tick or where to start?
Our Mantra: Future-Proofed Seamless Accessibility That’s Stylish
Our goal is to have accessible accommodation look appealing to people with AND without disabilities for anyone to enjoy. Accessibility does not need to look like a hospital. It can be beautiful and functional at the same time so that your accommodation offering meets the market in the future.
We provide guest experience consulting on the following areas:
- Reviewing existing accessible accommodation room types to improve the guest experience.
- New property developments
- Redevelopments
- Renovations
- Bank applications
- Grant applications
- Getting your property Accessible Qualified accredited on the Accessible Accommodation’s tiered rating system.
- Home renovation for Holiday letting.
- Local Councils and tourism bodies wishing to improve their accessible features
- Inclusion training either in-person or online.
- We also collaborate with Access Auditors to exceed the basic minimums in accessibility. (Affiliate member Access Consultants Association).
Where our recommendations come from:
Every single recommendation is made based on our 35,000 followers and subscribers’ feedback. We have a Facebook Group of over 8,000 members and we regularly conduct polls, ask for input and engage them on their lived experience with disability. Also, our crew of 8 all have lived experience with disabilities. They either have a disability themselves or are the carers of a person with a disability.
We also are the only online booking service solely dedicated to accessible travel and capture data from 7 figures a year in bookings made.
What are the “MUST HAVE’S” for travellers with a disability?
Hint: it isn’t just about putting a ramp in. It is about cost-efficient features to make the guest experience a joyful one.
A snapshot of what we look at:
- How to provide a truly welcoming guest experience.
- How to improve upon your already accessible offering to meet Accessible Accommodation’s Accessible Qualified Program.
- Where is there a shortage (or oversupply) of accessible holiday accommodation?
- How does your location fare in supply and demand?
- What features should you have to attract the most bookings? Conversely, what features are unnecessary?
- What features should you prioritize?
- How can you provide cost-effective equipment and facilities?
- What do the government regulations (on disability accommodation) forget that is essential for attracting travellers with disabilities?
- How to leverage and market your accessible features?
- What marketing and advertising options are out there that work? Which ones don’t?
- What accessible activities are near you to build a cross-promoting platform, and leverage on visitors to your region?
- What should you charge, and what occupancy rate should you expect?
- Leveraging regional collaboration to draw tourists to a specific destination
“Gone are the days where accessibility has to be clinical like a hospital. My focus is helping accommodation providers create beautiful accessible accommodation that is inviting for people with and without disabilities, ensuring maximum room occupancy.”
Kerry Williams
FOUNDER – THE ACCESSIBLE GROUP
About The accessible Group
Accessible Accommodation provides guest experience consulting on how to make your premises accessible AND stylish, whether you are building a new property or renovating an existing one. (Hotels, Resorts, Holiday Houses and more).
Our Reports are tailored to your business needs and premises, providing a detailed breakdown of the recommended improvements and changes you need to make to become ATDW Accessible Accredited. Using our three-tiered ‘Accessible Qualified’ rating system, we can help you dissect what’s really needed to embrace travellers with disabilities, and what is a waste of money.
Disability building codes for permanent accessible accommodation and often do not translate well for the tourism industry. We layer the Australian Standards beneath feedback of our 38,000 followers. We help make your property accessible to tourists without breaking the bank.
Proud member of ODIN360
ODIN360 is Australia’s leading consultancy and advisory firm specialising in comprehensive solutions for the sport, tourism, and major events sectors. With a team of over 25 highly experienced consultants and specialists, ODIN360 offer unparalleled expertise to elevate your projects to new heights. The ODIN360 consultants and specialists are not just advisors; they are former leading industry executives with decades of strategic and operational experience. This real-world experience ensures our strategies and plans are not only best practices but also practical, relevant, and implementable. Kerry Williams, Founder of The Accessible Group, is proud to be a member of the ODIN360 network. Learn more HERE
What to expect in a report?
Here are some examples of what we have recommended to our clients; they aren’t extensive or expensive, they are effective solutions to ensure you are providing a safe, friendly and welcoming environment to people with disabilities:
PROBLEM (Property refurbishment): Government regulations require a $900 wall-mounted shower chair (chair, labour and re-tiling, totalling $5,300) in the bathroom. However, (after we polled 8,000 followers) less than half can actually use them!
SOLUTION: A free-standing shower chair from Bunnings. Instead, the total cost only $139.
PROBLEM: A 5cm lip at property entry (impossible for a wheelchair user or walking frame user to get over it). Builder quote to replace entry door $4,900.
SOLUTION: A rubber threshold ramp. Cost instead was $90.
6 Reasons to tap into this lucrative travel market:
1/ A fast-growing travel sector in your own backyard. 18-19% of the Australian population have a disability.
2/ NDIS: People with a disability are now travelling much more, especially with NDIS introduction, they have improved disposable income. Many participants have an allowance of up to 28 days’ accommodation too.
3/ NDIS participants book mid-term accommodation of between 3 weeks and 6 months, such as:
- A newly-acquired disability, and are having their homes modified.
- A bridge between permanent accommodation under construction.
- Repeat hospital & rehab visits.
4/ Our followers are generally risk-averse & feel more secure returning to what they are familiar with (repeat bookings).
5/ Multiple travellers: A person with a disability oftentimes travel with a carer/support worker.
6/ Baby Boomers love the convenience of some accessible features. As they age, accessible convenience is highly desirable.