Envoyage member Tonya Kelly returned from her first-ever Auslan-led group travel tour after identifying a significant gap in accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing travellers within the Aussie travel industry.
“As a travel agent, I once had a deaf client enquire about a holiday and she needed an interpreter present at every appointment just to plan a short domestic trip,” Kelly said. “I knew there had to be a better way.”
Determined to reduce barriers, Kelly undertook years of Auslan training before launching Hands of the World, a travel business designed to provide deaf travellers with equal access to travel experiences in their first language.
During the research phase, Kelly discovered that deaf travellers were often given written fact sheets instead of real-time guided experiences.
“For many deaf people, English is a second language,” Kelly added. “Reading a fact sheet after a tour is not the same as experiencing a destination live, in your own language.”
Hands of the World’s inaugural tour to Japan was purpose-designed to provide real-time access to information, culture and community in Auslan. The itinerary was tailored to the specific needs of deaf travellers and included culturally immersive experiences such as a visit to a Japanese deaf café, allowing guests to connect directly with locals through sign language.
“Every tour is supported by a qualified interpreter and support worker, ensuring access to information, public transport, and meaningful engagement with the people and culture of each destination,” Kelly said.
Envoyage marketing support
Envoyage provided marketing and business development support for the launch of the tour.
“That contribution allowed us to build awareness, trust and confidence in a brand-new product within the Deaf community,” Kelly said. “It also meant we could focus on individual experiences and remove barriers that might otherwise have stopped people from participating.”
Envoyage Australia general manager Nick Queale said the initiative aligned strongly with the network’s commitment to inclusive and specialist travel.
“We have members operating in niche markets, whether that’s special-interest travel or serving specific demographics,” Queale said. “Specialised businesses like these require more time and deeper client engagement to truly understand individual needs, and that’s where Envoyage’s support model delivers real value.”
Further Auslan-led group tours are already in development, with a Sri Lanka departure scheduled for March 2026, followed by tours to Vietnam and Cambodia later in the year.
