The travel industry is falling short of meeting the needs of disabled holidaymakers. Some holiday providers have made a lot of progress but many tourist attractions and holiday locations still remain inaccessible to people with disabilities.
The problem was brought to light by a recent episode of BBC One’s Rip Off Britain which highlighted the unfairness of the situation. Revitalise, a holiday respite charity, has been campaigning for many years for disabled people and carer’s rights and providing accessible holiday centres for people with disabilities.
Revitalise CEO Chris Simmonds said, “For many years holiday providers have pledged to do more to cater to the needs of disabled consumers”. Some, such as Airbnb, have done so.
“However, it is clear that some holiday providers are still falling short of being truly accessible and this is why it is essential that the travel industry take the requirements of disabled holidaymakers seriously”.
A study conducted by the charity shows that 65% of disabled people, carers and family members decided not to visit certain tourist attractions because of accessibility issues.
“Imagine booking a holiday and turning up to the accommodation to find that you are unable to access the bathroom, or that the doors aren’t wide enough for you to fit through. While for many of us the concept is unimaginable, unfortunately it is very much a reality for disabled people”.
Figures published by the European Commission highlight the fact that by 2020 it is estimated that 25% of spending made by holidaymakers in Europe will come from people with special accessibility requirements.
Holiday providers have a moral obligation and responsibility to provide holidays accessible to everyone. Providing a fairer service, holiday makers could actually see their profits maximised.
> Naomi Round
