The Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) and The Accessible Group Pty Ltd have entered into a new partnership designed to improve the accuracy, visibility and reliability of accessibility information across Australia’s tourism industry.
For the past three years, ATDW has recognised and used The Accessible Group’s Accessible Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP) within its tourism listings. This new agreement formalises that long-standing collaboration and expands the work already underway, creating a clearer pathway for independently verified accessibility information to be surfaced, shared and trusted across Australia’s tourism ecosystem.
The Accessible Group operates two consumer-facing accessible tourism platforms: AccessibleAccommodation.com, which connects travellers with verified accessible accommodation, and AccessibleExperiences.com, which showcases verified accessible tourism experiences.
Through this partnership, ATDW will recognise accessibility accreditation and verification provided through The Accessible Group’s Accessible Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP) on participating tourism business listings. This will help travellers, carers, support networks, tourism organisations and digital platforms better identify businesses that have independently verified accessibility information available.
The partnership responds to a critical gap in tourism information: accessibility details are often make-or-break for people with disabilities, seniors and their families. Inaccurate or outdated information can lead to poor travel experiences, distress for guests and reputational risk for tourism operators and destinations.
Under the agreement, participating accommodation and experience providers will be able to have verified accessibility information surfaced through ATDW listings, with links to full accessibility profiles hosted on AccessibleAccommodation.com and AccessibleExperiences.com. These profiles are independently verified by The Accessible Group and developed with people who have lived experience of disability.
The agreement also supports improved search visibility and AI-readiness by supplying structured, verified accessibility information for high-intent travel searches such as step-free accommodation, wheelchair accessible bathrooms, visual and hearing assistance and sensory-friendly experiences.
Nadia Feeney, Senior Manager, Industry, said, “ATDW has a long standing commitment to quality accessibility content, dating back almost a decade to when we first introduced accessibility data across all tourism profiles. This partnership strengthens ATDW’s role in distributing reliable, AI ready accessibility information across our network, helping destinations and operators ensure that verified accessibility details are easier to find, easier to understand and easier to trust.”
Kerry Williams, Founder of The Accessible Group, said, “Tourism operators and destinations want to welcome every guest well, and accurate accessibility information is a big part of that. For seven years, we have worked with operators to independently verify their accessibility and present that information in a way travellers can actually use. When details are inaccurate or unclear, it can lead to stressful experiences for guests and erode trust in the wider industry. This partnership helps close that gap, so people with disability, seniors and their families can plan and book with greater confidence.”
The partnership will be implemented in phases, beginning with accreditation recognition, partnership visibility and links from participating ATDW profiles to verified accessibility profiles. Future phases may include further integration into ATDW’s next-generation platform.
The Accessible Tourism Accreditation Program currently includes accreditation levels across both accommodation and experiences, including Assisted Walking, Independent Wheelchair, Assisted Wheelchair and Sensory Assisted.
The partnership is designed to support tourism businesses, destinations, and travellers by creating a clearer, more trustworthy pathway for accessibility information across Australia’s visitor economy.
About The Accessible Group
The Accessible Group Pty Ltd operates AccessibleAccommodation.com and AccessibleExperiences.com, two dedicated platforms helping people with disability, seniors, carers, families and support networks find accessible places to stay and things to do. Through its Accessible Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP), The Accessible Group independently verifies accessibility information and provides guest-centred profiles that help travellers make informed decisions with greater confidence.
About Australian Tourism Data Warehouse
The Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) is Australia’s central digital platform for tourism, connecting the tourism community so every business can be seen and every traveller can discover quality Australian experiences. ATDW proudly showcases tourism product information and powers the distribution of listings across the digital channels used by tourism organisations, destinations and travellers.