Understanding Accessibility and Inclusion

This half day tourism industry forum, facilitated by founder of The Accessible Group, Kerry Williams, is essential for those who want to understand the importance of accessibility and inclusion, and find out why and how to cater for people with disability.

Kerry will present the business case for accessible tourism, sharing compelling data to support the need for us to cater better to this market segment as an industry.

Her session will also cover content to grow your understanding of disability, types of disability and the expectations of the traveler, with useful tips on things you can do in your business to be more inclusive, and how to market what you do to assist those with access needs when they are planning travel and considering a visit to your business.

Also joining us will be Ashlee Morton, General Manager of Accessible Accommodation, who will share stories about her lived experience as a wheelchair user, and about limiting the barriers to people with disability leading a full life.

Presented by Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism in partnership with RACV Torquay Resort.

Half day commencing at 12pm, finishing at 4.45pm, Tuesday May 7th 2024 - RACV Torquay Resort.

Light lunch and afternoon tea included. Please advise any special dietary requirements.

Price $77 (GST Inc)

GORRT partners $55 (GST Inc)

GORRT premium partners - one complementary registration per business

Partners should contact Jo Birley to obtain a coupon code

OUR PRESENTERS

KERRY WILLIAMS

Kerry Williams is an entrepreneur and accessibility advocate, revolutionising how individuals with disabilities enjoy travelling through her Accessible Accommodation and Accessible Experiences websites. Passionate about inclusivity, she collaborates with organisations and provides Tourism Inclusion Training and Accessibility Consulting Services. She continues to drive innovation for seamless, accessible travel.

Kerry has earned numerous accolades, most recently, winning silver in the 2023 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, winning gold in the 2023 Victorian Tourism Awards and Outstanding Contribution by an Individual, Hotel Management awards (winner- Innovative Collaboration), Telstra Best of Business Awards (Finalist 2023), Australian Tourism Awards (finalist 2024) and Women in Tourism - Entrepreneur of the year.

Looking ahead, Kerry continues to advocate for accessibility and expand internationally, envisioning a future where accessibility is integrated seamlessly into the tourism experience.

ASHLEE MORTON

Ashlee Morton Accessible Accommodation’s General Manager is a devoted mother to two young children, finds both immense joy and occasional stress in parenting, often joking that they are the cause of her daily search for grey hairs! Having relied on a manual wheelchair for most of her life, she understands firsthand the crucial importance of ensuring accommodation meets an individual’s specific needs. With a passion for making the tourism sector more inclusive, she advocates for dismantling societal obstacles to travel, believing everyone should have the opportunity to experience the world.

An adventurer at heart, Ashlee's passions extend beyond parenting and advocacy. She spends her spare time surfing, playing para ice hockey with the Melbourne Walers, and a MTB(Adaptive Mountain Bike Riding), embracing life's challenges with enthusiasm.

Also at the event will be key people from councils and other organisations who you can connect with to grow your business's capacity to cater for all visitors.