Tourism For All NZ Research Group

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Professor Alison McIntosh, Dr Brielle Gillovic, AUT Adjunct Professor Simon Darcy (University of Technology Sydney) and AUT Visiting Scholar, Dr Cheryl Cockburn-Wootten (University of Waikato) coordinate the Tourism for All NZ Research Group.

Initially funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Social Development Think Differently Fund, NZ Tourism For All is a project to champion accessible tourism in New Zealand. The investigation recognises the citizenship rights of people with disabilities and those living with chronic or terminal illness to tourism as an inclusive leisure activity. Current projects include accessible beach tourism; accessible hotel restaurants; tourism and carers; disability employment and entrepreneurship; terminal illness and travel; and disability, tourism and sustainability.

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Key Facts and Figures about Accessible Tourism

Tourism For All New Zealand have collected useful, evidence-based facts about accessible tourism in New Zealand. Read them here, and keep up to date with our industry-relevant research.


Did you know that 83% of people with access requirements regularly engage in domestic travel?

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Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 5 of 27
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    Elaine Can Dance: Can't?
    (Elsebear, 2022) Benez, Elaine
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    When Words Become Difficult: A Critical Reflection of the ‘MeBox’ Method in Understanding Senior Travellers’ Responses to Loss
    (Edward Edgar Publishing, 2021-05) Ramanayake, U; Cockburn-Wootten, C; McIntosh, A
    Multiple dimensions of our experiences such as visual, embodied and sensory experiences cannot always be easily expressed in words. Traditional qualitative methods may struggle to access these deep-rooted complex and emotional aspects. Tourism scholars have called for innovative methodologies to unravel layers of diverse meaning in phenomena. This article critically reflects on a visual tool called the ‘MeBox’. It was adopted in our study to explore senior travellers’ responses to loss following a major life event. The ‘MeBox’ method enabled participants to express embedded and tacit knowledge to reflect on their lived experiences. We critically review the ‘MeBox’ methodology, and provide practical learnings for scholars who may want to adopt this method as a means to under-stand lived experiences that are difficult to express in words.
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    Value and Significance of Accessible Tourism
    (AUT University, 2021-10-21) Gillovic, B
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    Online Information for Visitors About the Accessibility of Museums in New Zealand
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2021) Upson, Laura Dannielle; McIntosh, Alison; Gillovic, Brielle
    Research attests to the reality that people with disabilities are not provided for, or offered the same opportunities as those without disabilities; nor are they seen as a valued market segment of the tourism sector. Accessible tourism is viewed as the opportunity to enable people with disabilities equal opportunity to participate in tourism services and environments, with the same level of independence, equity, and dignity. For museums within the tourism sector, it is important that they consider the importance of accessibility and information provision, because if they do not, people with disabilities miss out on the museum experience as a whole, so they are not capturing or providing for an important market. The aim of this research was to examine the current provision of online information for visitors about the accessibility of five selected museums in New Zealand: Auckland Museum, Puke Ariki, Te Papa, Canterbury Museum, and Otago Museum. The research had two key objectives. Firstly, it aimed to critically examine the online website content of selected museums in New Zealand to determine the extent to which they communicated information about the accessibility of a museum visit. Secondly, it aimed to benchmark the website content provision of the selected museums against international tourism accessibility standards. This was achieved through the implementation of a content analysis and a case study methodology; the research adopted a qualitative and interpretive approach. The findings of this research revealed conclusions about website navigation, the inclusive approach of website communications, content about accessibility, and access to the museum experience, in the five selected museums. This research concluded that there are multiple gaps between the international accessibility standards of best practice, and the practices of the selected museums in New Zealand. To meet international accessibility best practice, it is important that New Zealand guides or sets recommendations for accessibility standards to which tourism organisations can refer. The contribution this research brings is that it identifies and highlights the online information provision and accessibility problems that museums in New Zealand are not solving for people with disabilities.
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    Connecting Through Family Tourism and Social Inclusion During COVID-19 Times
    (Beykoz University, 2021-06-23) Schänzel, Heike