PRESS RELEASE: Sensory Tourism Australia calls on regional tourism organisations and local governments to test their tourism experiences with blind and low-vision travellers

Last week at the Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane, Sensory Tourism Australia announced they have partnered with not for profit accessible tourism operator Cocky Guides to lead groups of blind and low-vision travellers on famil trips to selected regions across Australia. These famils share knowledge, create inclusive content and promote accessible tourism across regions.

Sensory Tourism Australia Director and co-founder Kellie Hayes says, “There has been plenty of infrastructure investment and training with attractions, properties and tour operators around accessible tourism, particularly the last couple of years. We want to keep this momentum going and ensure travellers with accessible needs are active in the community and experiencing improvements, whether this is infrastructure or staff training. Cocky Guides has been making this happen regularly with groups of blind and low-vision travellers since 2018. Our role at Sensory Tourism Australia is to ensure that conversations around accessible tourism, in particular, service excellence, continue both before, and after we visit regions with travellers led by Cocky Guides.”

Creating a famil across a region was an idea developed and executed in 2024 through a collaboration with Sensory Tourism Australia and Destination Port Stephens. Destination Port Stephens wanted to showcase its members’ accessible tourism offer to blind and low-vision travellers and improve confidence in local businesses wishing to learn more about accessible and inclusive tourism.

Mel Turner, Industry Engagement Manager at Destination Port Stephens, says, “Many of our local tourism industry members want to do more to improve accessibility and be more inclusive, but don’t know where to begin. Others have invested substantially in their businesses and are keen to showcase their venue. Wherever a venue or attraction is on its accessible tourism journey, it’s great to have organisations like Sensory Tourism Australia and Cocky Guides available to do regular visits to our members tourism businesses with travellers who have lived experience. It builds confidence for everybody involved.”

During the Port Stephens famil, blind and low-vision travellers visited Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters, where they jumped into a wetsuit to get close to the sharks and rays. The first encounter was in a shallow lagoon where the rays swam around their feet while the traveller got to feed them. As the rays circled their feet, travellers could reach out and touch them. But the highlight of the visit was the Zebra Shark Encounter, held in a deeper tropical lagoon. During this small group encounter, travellers sat on a shallow ledge in the lagoon, and the zebra shark would swim right across the top of their legs, where they could reach out and feel its rough texture.

Owner and Director of Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters, Lia Pereira, says, “Irukandji has always been passionate about inclusion, especially focusing on unique, tailored visits. Being part of the Port Stephens famil with Sensory Tourism Australia was lovely. I was surprised to discover we were already leading the field in what was, in our eyes, a given. For all tourism operators starting or wanting to grow in the industry, reach out and be part of a famil. The program is professional, provides the best cooperative visits, and is terrific for melding new staff.”

Sensory Tourism Australia now seek expressions of interest from Regional Tourism Organisations and Local Government keen to get involved with their local tourism businesses to continue the accessible tourism conversation and learn more about hosting a regional famil for blind and low-vision travellers with Cocky Guides. After each regional famil, business owners can talk to Sensory Tourism Australia to see how they can package their product or experience ready for travellers with accessible needs.

If you, as a tourism business, accommodation provider or region, would like to get involved during the launch of this initiative, reach out to Kellie Hayes via email at [email protected]