Lorin MacDonald
International Accessibility Summit
July 13, 2014
©L. MacDonald, 2014
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Introduction
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People with Disabilities and Baby Boomers
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Tourism in Canada and Inclusive Tourism

The Demographic and Economic Impact
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The Opportunity

The Parapan Am Games
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Benefits of Inclusive Tourism
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We cannot ignore the impact of increasing
numbers of people with disabilities and baby
boomers
The value of their spending power to the
Canadian economy via inclusive tourism is a
tremendous opportunity
The Parapan Am Games in Toronto next
summer will be an excellent showcase for the
benefits of inclusive tourism
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3.8 million Canadians live with a disability;
approximately 2 million are Ontarians
56.7 million Americans have a disability
Today, over 60 million people in North
America are living with a disability
9.6 million Canadians
76.4 million Americans
86 million baby boomers
in North America
A rapidly growing number!
Canada’s mainstream tourism industry saw
significant growth in 2011, contributing to the
Canadian economy:
$63.6 billion (domestic travellers)
$15.1 billion (overseas travellers)
$78.7 billion in tourism revenues
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The ongoing endeavour to ensure tourist
destinations, products and services are
accessible to all people, regardless of their
physical limitations, disabilities, or age
The goal is to include everyone by
accommodating the broadest range of
tourists possible without stigma or the need
for special accommodation
Food for Thought ...
“American adults with disabilities or reduced
mobility currently spend an average of $13.6
billion a year on travel. Creating accessible
cruise ships, accessible ship terminals,
accessible ground transportation, and
accessible tourist destinations is not charity.
It is just good business.”
Dr. Scott Rains
a U.S. expert on disability issues
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Ontario government research states that 75
per cent of people with disabilities in Canada,
the United States, and Europe are physically
and financially able to travel
Our AODA legislation uniquely positions
Ontario to benefit from this rapidly growing
global demographic
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The inclusive tourism market will be greatly
affected by the retirement of the baby
boomer generation that began on January 1,
2011 and will continue for the next 20 years
For the first time, inclusive tourism is being
regarded as an economic market driven by
the retirement of this sector
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Between 2006 and 2016, the U.S. adult
population will grow by 23 million - of that
number, an astounding 22 million people will
be over the age of 50!
Approximately 40 per cent of baby boomers
in North America will be retiring with some
form of a disability
3.4 million Canadians with disabilities
$25 billion a year
54 million Americans with disabilities
$220 billion a year
57.4 million North Americans with disabilities
$245 billion a year!!!
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By 2015 in the U.S., baby boomers will
command 60 per cent of the wealth and 40
per cent of the spending power
In the travel sector, baby boomers will
represent over 50 per cent of consumption
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By embracing the principles of Inclusive
Tourism, the business community will be
uniquely positioned to shift the paradigm
away from compliance toward adopting a
strong and robust economic argument
By delivering increased value, businesses will
gain a competitive advantage within the
mainstream travel industry
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The largest Parapan Am Games ever held will
take place in Toronto from August 7-15,
2015
This will be the fifth edition of the Games and
will feature 1,608 athletes from 28 countries
competing in 15 sports
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The tourism industry is a key economic driver
An opportunity to champion industry-led
initiatives that enable tourists to identify
attractions, accommodations, events, and
facilities that are accessible to all
Ontario will continue to work with tourism
partners to develop accessible tourism
initiatives
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Not just about legislative requirements or the
right thing to do
More people will get to enjoy the opportunity
to travel
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The tourism industry will get more visitors,
longer seasons, and new incomes
Society as a whole benefits from new job
opportunities, more tax revenue, and an
accessible environment for local communities
and visitors
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Increased tourism
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New jobs
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Increased tax revenue
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More accessible communities
Everybody wins!