Presentation to the NICAN\'s National Dialogue: Stakeholders in Accessible Tourism on the economic evidence of the accessible tourism market. The presentation was based on the following chapter Dwyer, L., & Darcy, S. (2011). Chapter 14 - Economic Contribution of Tourists with Disabilities: An Australian Approach and Methodology. In D. Buhalis & S. Darcy (Eds.), Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues (pp. 213-239). Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications. http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?k=9781845411602

1. National Dialogue –
Stakeholders in Accessible Tourism
Monday 20 June 2011
Economic Contribution of the
Accessible Tourism Market
Associate Professor Simon Darcy
UTS Business School
University of Technology, Sydney
simon.darcy@uts.edu.au

2. Overview
1. Access market potential
2. Business case
3. Research Design
4. Economic Contribution and Market Dynamics
5. Concluding comments
Based on Dwyer, L., & Darcy, S. (2011). Chapter 14 - Economic Contribution of
Tourists with Disabilities: An Australian Approach and Methodology. In D.
Buhalis & S. Darcy (Eds.), Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues (pp.
213-239). Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications. 2
http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?k=9781845411602z

3. 1. Access Market Potential
Domestic Demand Overseas Tourism
• Australia = 4.0m • Europe = 127m
• New Zealand = 0.7m • China = 62m
• USA = 60m
• India = 47m
• Great Britian = 9m
• Canada = 4m
•Group Dynamics = 2.8/day trip = 3.4/domestic
3

4. Dimensions of Access
• Mobility
– Ramps, lifts, circulation space, accessible unisex toilets,
automatic doors, table heights, operational dexterity
• Vision
– Tactile tiles, visual contrast, audible signals (lifts/street
crossings), braille, large print, assistance animal respite
areas
• Hearing
– Visual signals, Auslan Sign interpreters, captioning or Tele
text, telephone typewriters, preprepared written material
• Cognition/learning
– Plain English material, iconic signage, time, speed of
communication, environmental stimulus, alternative modes
• Others
4

5. Source: HREOC 2003
5

6. 6

7. 2. Business Case for
Access Markets
• Global Trends • Part of all markets
• Ageing of the population • A specific/niche market
• Baby boomers • New products - innovation
• Increased travel opportunity • Non peak periods
• Segregated  Universal
• Human rights declarations
• Flexible/integrated space
• Community expectations
• Group size
• Lifelong learning • Networks and collaborations
• CSR – Social sustainability • Destination competitivness
7

8. 8

9. Accessible Tourism as a Market?
Disability As Part of Every Market?
• UN 2006/2008 Convention on the Rights of People
with Disabilities
• WHO 2007 aged friendly cities
• 10% earn equal to or above the average weekly
wage of their country
• US accessible tourism market = US $13.5bn
(HarrisMarket Research 2002 & 2005)
• European accessible tourism market = €80bn
(Buhalis et al. 2005)
• Opportunity for niche business development and
general inclusion as part of all business activity 9

10. 3. Research Design
Data Steps and Requirements
Requirement Source
1. Australians with disabilities; Disability and Ageing and
Carers survey (ABS,
2004)
2. Australian population estimates; Australian Demographic
Statistics (ABS, 2007)
3. Overall contribution of tourism; Contribution to GDP
(Tourism Research
Australia, 2006), based
on TSA
4. Expenditure patterns associated with tourists with National Visitor Survey
and without disabilities (aggregate and detailed (Bureau of Tourism
types of goods and services) Research, 2003)
5. The expenditure data must be converted into Carried out through TSA
estimated contribution of key economic variables
e.g. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and jobs.
10

11. Disability Pyramid
Higher
Support Needs
Profound
Severe
Moderate
Lower
Support Needs
Mild
No Restriction
All with a Disability 20% of Aust population (ABS 2004)
Attitudes of Public & Industry
Communication
Ageing/Seniors
Sensitivities
Cognitive
Invisible
Mobility
Hearing
Vision
11

12. Step 1 & 2: Population
Estimates
ABS 2004 & 2007
• 20.6m Australians
• 4.1m people with disabilities
12

13. Step 3: Tourism Satellite Account's
Contribution of Tourism to the Economy
• Overnight $AUS40.9bn;
• Day trips $AUS12.0bn;
• Inbound $AUS20.5bn; and
• Outbound $AUS3.6bn
13

14. Step 4: Proportion of Trips
& Travel Market (NVS 2003)
Proportion Taking Trips Proportion of Market
Overnight (last month) Overnight
PWD 22.1% PWD 10.8%
Non Disabled 27.8% Non Disabled 88.6%
Outbound (last 3 months) Outbound
PWD 2.7% PWD 6.8%
Non Disabled 5.6% Non Disabled 92.7%
Daytrip (last seven days) Daytrip
PWD 14.6% PWD 13.3%
Non Disabled 14.6% Non Disabled 86.3%
14

15. Step 5:
Apply Step 4 to Step 3
Scenario 1 (What is) Scenario 2 (Max)
• Overnight $4.8bn • Overnight $8.5bn
• Daytripper $1.6bn • Daytripper $1.6bn
• Outbound $0.2bn • Outbound $0.2bn
• Inbound $1.4bn • Inbound $1.4bn
• TOTAL $8.0bn • TOTAL $11.6bn
$3.6bn
15

16. 4.Overnight Expenditure Pattern
Pattern of Domestic Tourist Consumption Percentage
Accommodation (can include food e.g. breakfast if included) 21.62
Takeaways and restaurant meals 14.83
Fuel (Petrol, diesel) 12.60
Shopping, gifts, souvenirs 11.59
Airline fares 9.95
Groceries etc for self-catering 6.77
Other (phone, postage, medical expenses, repairs, dry cleaning, etc) 5.45
Alcohol, drinks (not already reported with food above) 4.08
Entertainment, museums, movies, zoos, etc 2.44
Car hire costs (rental, leasing) 2.01
Purchase of motor vehicles or any other major equipment 1.78
Conference fees 1.64
Horse racing, gambling, casinos 1.33
Organised tours/side trips 1.33
Vehicle maintenance or repairs 0.99
Taxis (including to/from airport 0.81
Other long distance transport costs (train, coach, ship, etc) 0.77
Other local transport costs (bus, train, tram, ferry, etc) 0.60
Education, course fees 0.41
TOTAL 100.00
16
Source: Purchasing pattern percentages from NVS (2003).

17. Proportion Attributable to Sectors
Overnight Daytripper Outbound Inbound Total
Accommodation 28% Retail trade 32% Accommodation 28% Education 19% Accommodation 21%
Retail trade 14% Other manufact 12% Retail trade 13% Accommodation 15% Retail trade 16%
Cafes, restaurants 10% Cafes, restaurants 11% Cafes, restaurants 10% Retail trade 8% Air and water trans 10%
Air, water transport 9% Clubs, pubs, taverns 3% Air, water transport 9% Cafes, restaurants 6% Cafes & restaurants 9%
Non tourism 9% Non tourism 29% Non tourism 12% Non tourism 7% Non tourism 14%
17

18. Beyond the $bn
2003-2004
• Spent $8.0bn - $11.6bn
• Contributed $3.0bn - $4.5bn
Tourism Gross Value Added (12% -15%)
• Contributed between $ 3.8bn-$5.8bn Tourism
Gross Domestic Product (11-16%)
• Sustained between 51,820 and 77,495 direct
jobs in the tourism industry (11-17%)
18

19. Comparative Travel Rates
30.0%
21% 27.8%
25.0%
22.1%
20.0%
Percent
14.6% 14.6%
15.0%
10.0%
52%
5.6%
5.0%
2.7%
0.0%
Daytrip Overnight Outbound
PWD Non Disabled
19
Source: NVS 2003 (n=20080)

20. Market Segment Comparison
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
PWD
NonDisabled
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Budget traveller Something else Luxury traveller Adventurer Traveller Nature-based / Backpacker traveller
(SPECIFY) ecotourism traveller
20
Source: NVS 2003 (n=20080)

21. Travel patterns and impairment
45%
40%
38%
36% 37%
36%
35% 35% 35%
35%
31%
30%
30% 29%
25%
25% 24%
Percent
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Mental w Vision Speech Phys - Hearing Phys - ABI/Stroke Other LT Medicated Mood Other
Sup arms/feet General additional Condition
Source: NVS 2003 (n=20080)

22. Percent
Source: NVS 2003 (n=20080)
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
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23. Gap in Travel Patterns
• Economic – All people…
• Day trip
– Control/own terms
• Overnight
– Planning
– Accommodation
– Transport
– Familiarity
• Overseas
– Inc complexity
– Language
– Air travel
– Loss of control
23

24. Accessible Market Use Circle
6. Monitor 1. Access
Assessing the Enabling
Business Case Environment
Access Market Use Circle
2.
6. Review
Organisation
(Positive/ Commitment
Negative) Customer Feedback Loop Access Audit,
Customer
Information &
Feedback
Training
3. Marketing ,
Promotion &
4. Market Use Distribution
The Experience Traditional &
Electronic
based on W3C
Adapted from Darcy, S. (2004). Disabling Journeys: the Social Relations of Tourism for People with Impairments in Australia24
- an
analysis of government tourism authorities and accommodation sector practices and discourses, Unpublished PhD Thesis, Faculty of
Business , University of Technology Sydney. Retrieved from http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/dspace/handle/2100/260

25. Universal Approach to Market Use Circle
Support Needs
Disability: Constraints &
Dimension of Socioeconomic
Access Circumstances
Tourism
Environment Person’s
Organisational Considerations
Responses
Previous
Experiences
Traveller Reflection & Travel
Feedback Planning &
Universal Decision Making
Approaches
Inform Every
Stage
Transit Transit
Destination 25
Buhalis, D., & Darcy, S. (Eds.). (2011). Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues. Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications.
http://www.multilingual-matters.com/display.asp?k=9781845411602

26. Managing Expectation
• All organisations have has access warts!
• Strategic approach
• Expectation = experience  
• Expectation ≠ experience     
• Information provision
• Customer service culture
• Organisational communication and
commitment
26

27. 5. Conclusion
• Powerful National Secondary Data
– Disability, ageing and carers survey
– Census
• Nation Visitor Survey
• Tourism Satellite Account
• Valid and reliable methodology
• NVS 2009 & 2010
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28. Contact
Dr Simon Darcy
UTS Business School
University of Technology, Sydney
02 9514-5100
simon.darcy@uts.edu.au
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