Queensland Government Announces $9 Million Grants to Support Accessible Tourism in 2023
Accessible Tourism Queensland Fund: A $12 Million Investment
The Queensland Government has announced the opening of applications for $9 million in grants to improve accessibility for tourism experiences as part of the $12 million Accessible Tourism Queensland Fund. The fund is part of the 2023 Year of Accessible Tourism, an initiative that recognises the untapped potential surrounding accessible tourism, which is estimated to be $1.8 billion per annum when including the travel party.
The New Grants
The $8 million Accessible Tourism Infrastructure grants are available to small to medium-sized tourism and events businesses to improve accessibility through infrastructure upgrades, assistive equipment, and technology. The grants range from $25,000 to $500,000.
Additionally, the new $1 million Accessible Tourism Enablers grants provide between $50,000 to $250,000 to support not-for-profit peak and disability services organisations to make products that make visitor experiences more inclusive.
Queensland's Commitment to Accessible Tourism
The Palaszczuk Government has invested $12 million in the 2023 Year of Accessible Tourism to demonstrate Queensland's commitment to making Brisbane 2032 the world's most accessible and inclusive sporting event. The strategy recognises the enormous untapped potential surrounding accessible tourism of $735 million per annum or $1.8 billion per annum when including the travel party.
Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Conference
The Palaszczuk Government has also signed on as a major sponsor for the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Conference on the Gold Coast on 28 April run by GetAboutAble. The conference aims to bring together experts, businesses, and policymakers to discuss how to make tourism more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Free Online Accessible Tourism Toolkit
Queensland's Year of Accessible Tourism kicked off with the release of a free online accessible tourism toolkit earlier this year developed by Get Skilled Access (GSA) and TravAbility in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Innovation, and Sport. As part of the project, GSA and TravAbility worked with Regional Tourism Organisations in Greater Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Fraser Coast, Townsville, Outback Queensland, and Cairns to assess tourist infrastructure accessibility and tourism business capability.
Quotes from Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Industry Leaders
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe stated that "these grants will support upgrades of accessible visitor infrastructure and technology that will further enhance Queensland's reputation as an all-abilities destination of choice." Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Brett Fraser noted that "everyone deserves to enjoy a Queensland holiday or experience, and ability shouldn't serve as a barrier to this enjoyment."
Get Skilled Access Principal Consultant Zack Alcott stated that "Queensland's commitment to accessible tourism is industry-leading and will improve the travel experience and opportunities for participation in tourism activities for people with disability."
How to Learn More
To learn more about the Accessible Tourism Queensland Fund and the grants available to businesses, visit the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport's website and contact us at Silicon Billabong as we advise you the best steps to win contracts and Government Tenders from the Queensland Government.