Paralympian and accessibility advocate Dylan Alcott will be a keynote speaker for Destination Queensland tourism forum at the Cairns Convention Centre from November 22-24.
“I am extremely excited to be involved in the Destination Q Forum in Cairns, particularly in the Year of Accessible Tourism in Queensland,” he said. “It’s so important to invest in helping our hardworking tourism operators understand the importance of implementing greater accessibility and inclusion into their visitor experience.”
TV presenter Todd Sampson and economic commentator Nikki Hutley will join Alcott as Destination Q speakers.
Better tourism accessibility is a recommendation of the industry led Towards Tourism 2032 roadmap to promote Queensland as the world’s all-abilities destination of choice, ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Queensland Government is investing $12 million to support the state’s tourism operators to fast-track staff training, and accessibility and inclusivity upgrades of tourism infrastructure and visitor experiences. Applications have also opened on a $5 million round of Accessible Tourism Elevate Fund Access Starter and Access Project grants for Queensland’s Year of Accessible Tourism. Access Project Grants of up to $250,000 are open to eligible tourism operators, not-for-profits, regional tourism organisations and local governments.
“Many tourism operators are excited to make their experiences more accessible and inclusive for guests,” QTIC chief executive Brett Fraser said. “Listening to and learning from those with lived experience will help to better our visitor offerings and provide a starting point for improvement.
“Accessible tourism not only benefits those living with a disability, but it also enriches the travel experience for everyone,” he said. “Dylan’s shared perceptions will no doubt aid in breaking down barriers and generate industry discussion on inclusivity.”
For more information about Destination Q, visit: https://www.destq.com.au