Accessible and Inclusive Tourism
3.0 Themes
3.4. Technology and digital accessibility
Innovative technology plays a crucial role in enhancing access and inclusion within the tourism industry, offering creative solutions that improve the experience for all visitors and also supporting infrastructure planning. Apps and digital platforms that prioritise accessibility, such as those providing audio guides, virtual tours, and sensory tools, empower visitors with diverse needs to engage fully and confidently. By offering detailed, accessible content like audio-rich storytelling or 360-degree visual guides, these technologies reduce anxiety, increase independence and make travel planning simpler. Tech solutions that provide comprehensive data on mobility infrastructure help cities improve urban accessibility, ensuring smoother navigation for people requiring mobility aids. The continued development of such technologies highlights the importance of innovation in bridging accessibility gaps, promoting greater inclusivity, and encouraging diverse participation in tourism and enabling destinations to welcome visitors of all abilities.
Vacayit
Launched in 2022, Vacayit is a pioneering app designed to support people of all abilities including blind and low-vision visitors in researching, planning and enjoying their trips. The app provides audio-rich stories, soundscapes and conversations about various destinations, attractions and experiences, enhancing the travel experience through accessible storytelling. To further improve usability, Vacayit has introduced additional search features, including text, voice, destination, category and map search options.
Vacayit’s work spans across destinations and experiences, notably collaborating with Brisbane Economic Development Agency to launch 45 audio guides and 60 audio guides with Tourism Tasmania. They have also worked with Dreamworld, Qantas Founders Museum, Accor, Puffing Billy and Lady Elliot Island to create dedicated experiential audio stories. Vacayit is focused on ensuring that the app is constantly evolving with recent developments including an accessible audio player for websites, a mapping feature, and audio guides across all Queensland Rail Travel trains. Vacayit has recently opened an office in the United States, solidifying the fact that innovation and inclusivity are also an avenue of success for businesses.
Cérge
Cérge addresses two key barriers to accessible tourism and community participation for the disability community: lack of public information and customer service bias. The Cérge Content Management Platform delivers a stepped change in public information about venue accessibility so customers can "Know Before They Go".
The companion app discreetly informs staff of visitors’ needs through an “about me”. This not only ensures a warm welcome that reduces visitor anxiety but also fills service teams with confidence and assurance, fostering empathy-driven service. A notable example is Creative Tours, a food tour business in Queensland which utilised the platform to share a 360-degree virtual tour, audio guide, visual story, and sensory guide for its venue, making the experience more accessible to all visitors.
The Cérge White Label solution integrates accessibility tools directly into client websites, ensuring seamless support for both disability access and marketing teams. This efficient, one-time content creation can be published many times, boosts social impact and offers a cost-effective, impactful solution.
Briometrix
Briometrix specialises in solutions for people with limited mobility. With a focus on giving wheelchair users awareness of accessible footpath routes and confidence to plan and make independent journeys as active travellers, Briometrix colour-coded mobility maps deliver help to thousands.
The company assesses footpath networks and connected amenities, parking and public transport stops, enabling the footpaths to become active components of the global transport network. As well as publishing their colour-coded mobility maps, Briometrix delivers the most detailed assessments of footpath conditions for use by Council asset management teams. Their applications extend to transit stop catchment analysis, walking network planning, university campuses, retail and tourist precincts and sports venue connectivity with host communities.
Briometrix equips its “Wheelchair Pilots” with sophisticated high-precision sensing systems that stream data to the cloud along with more traditional GIS tools and continuous georeferenced video capture. Pilot teams measure physical footpath geometry along with surface roughness to calculate the “effort rating”, also evaluating hazards, obstructions, toilets, transit stops, accessible parking and building entrances.
With Briometrix mobility maps benefiting local residents and visitors, including the elderly, parents with prams, cyclists and e-mobility users it’s no wonder their projects for Sunshine Coast attracted the National Award for Productivity through Infrastructure. Other projects for Transport Victoria, University of Queensland, Townsville and Fraser Coast highlight Briometrix’s role in advancing awareness and usability of our walking networks.