Q: What led you to set up Hands of the World?
A: Hands of the World was established to address a clear gap in the Australian travel industry: the lack of accessible, Auslan-supported group travel options for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people.
The business was founded in response to the systemic barriers faced by this community when accessing travel experiences that are both inclusive and linguistically appropriate.
Q: What kind of reaction have you had from both consumers and the trade to Hands of the World?
A: The response from consumers, community organisations and the travel trade has been consistently positive.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers have expressed strong interest and enthusiasm for the opportunities Hands of the World provides.
Disability support agencies have welcomed an initiative that meaningfully supports social participation and community engagement, and industry partners have been encouraging and supportive as inclusive travel offerings expand into new destinations.
Q: Do you think the travel industry needs to become more inclusive and welcoming for Deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers?
A: There is significant scope for the travel industry to improve accessibility for Deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers.
Many providers are not aware of the additional planning required when travel information is not delivered in a person’s primary language.
For many Deaf people, English is a second language, which can make written-only communication challenging. This can affect not only trip planning but also access to cultural, historical and contextual information while travelling.
Q: What are some of the challenges you face organising one of your tours?
A: The development of Hands of the World has involved extensive research and planning, which is why it has taken approximately two years to reach the stage of launching our first tour.
Key challenges have included addressing community perceptions, securing appropriate funding and navigating support and partnership arrangements with agencies and industry stakeholders.
Q: What kind of feedback have you had from the inaugural tour you’ve just organised in Japan?
A: Feedback from both participants and interpreters has been constructive and valuable, contributing to ongoing refinement of our tour model.
The overarching response, however, has been strong enthusiasm and excitement for future travel opportunities.
Q: What’s next on the horizon for Hands of the World?
A: Hands of the World is continuing to develop a growing catalogue of destinations and tours in collaboration with guides and tour operators. Our next scheduled tour is set to depart for Sri Lanka on March 22.
Q: What is your ultimate aim or ambition for Hands of the World?
A: Auslan is a fully developed, independent language and the core aim of Hands of the World is to enable Deaf and hard-of-hearing people to experience the world in their own language.
The long-term vision is to scale the business sustainably, create employment opportunities for Deaf people and Auslan interpreters, and contribute to a more inclusive and economically diverse travel industry.
Further Auslan-led group tours are already in development, with the Sri Lanka departure scheduled for March, followed by tours to Vietnam and Cambodia later in the year.
