This week, Destination NSW hosted industry events in Los Angeles and New York, where Sensory Tourism Australia introduced its new inclusive offerings for vision-impaired international visitors. These products were presented to North American travel advisors.
Sensory tourism, a unique concept, moves beyond traditional sightseeing and offers a different way to experience destinations. It was developed by the founders of Cocky Guides, a well-known group tour operator catering to blind and low-vision travelers in Australia since 2018.
James (Buck) McFarlane, Director and co-founder of Sensory Tourism Australia, shared his excitement about the response from travel advisors: “The travel advisors I’ve met are really interested in our ‘stay and discover’ packages. They are designed to support blind and low-vision travelers visiting Australia. Many have never seen anything like this in their international portfolios, so Australia is leading the way in presenting destinations in a sensory and tactile way. With more than 8 million blind and low-vision Americans, there’s a great opportunity for travel advisors to expand their accessible travel options.”
In collaboration with Destination NSW through the NSW First Program, Sensory Tourism Australia has developed products ready for international travelers. These experiences will take visitors to Sydney and nearby regions such as the Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley, and Port Stephens.
