The UK Government's Disability Champion for the Tourism Sector and an Accessible Tourism Consultant
A report for VisitScotland highlighted that, for some people at least, the time, energy, stress and planning required for disabled people to have a successful holiday was so great as to put them off. Indeed, when asked where the best place was to go as a disabled person, one participant answered simply “Home”!
How many other disabled people feel like this about businesses and destinations that don’t necessarily put themselves into the shoes of their visitors and see their whole experience and their perspective on booking, travelling to and from the destination, getting around and identifying in an easy and consistent way what each business offers them?
The key issue is that some in the tourism industry tend to think of accessible tourism as being something 'different', that needs to be managed separately from, and in addition to, the management of the rest of the business or destination; something that cuts across all other business activities rather than being integral to them. We need to get away from this way of thinking. Disabled people do not form some sort of niche market: they are just part of the mainstream market that all successful businesses and destinations need to be, and in many cases already are, reaching out to, if they are to be sustainable in the longer term.
The reality is that Accessible Tourism offers destinations and businesses new opportunities. Among other things it can contribute to business growth, an improved quality of experience for all visitors and increasing competitiveness.
Thinking more about accessibility - and not just about compliance and legal obligations placed on businesses not to discriminate – can really help place the customer at the heart of a business. Many businesses will feel they do this already, but if access requirements are not taken into consideration it is likely that many customers are not receiving the amazing customer experiences which we want them to enjoy. Tourism is all about emotions, offering and delivering those amazing ‘wow’ experiences and moments for visitors, which become treasured memories. This makes it more likely that they will become repeat customers and recommend a business to others, which is, as they say, probably the best form of marketing.
Accessible Tourism is relevant for everybody, not just the obvious groups of disabled and older people who have access requirements. Many may travel independently, many will travel in groups, with family and friends for leisure or as part of their business, attending meetings and conferences. Understanding and responding to their access requirements means business can be won, ignoring them means business can be lost to the competition.
The National Tourist Boards together with the Charity Tourism for All (TFA) help support businesses and destinations to address these areas of development. TFA can also help individuals plan the right holiday for them
There are great examples of businesses that do understand the enormous benefits to be gained by developing their offer to be inclusive and accessible to everybody. These businesses have in common their aim to deliver outstanding customer experiences and great memories for everybody and their recognition of the benefits, for their customers, their business and the destination, of adopting this strategy. They truly see this as a win, win, win situation for everybody.
Great examples of tourist venues leading the way to ensure they are accessible to everyone and highlighted by VisitEngland’s Inclusive Tourism Award, include:
- The Roman Baths and Pump Room in Bath
- Mylor Sailing and Powerboat School in Cornwall
- Cottage in the Dales in Newbiggin
- Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool
- Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in Halifax
Adaptations made by the venues include:
- making them wheelchair accessible
- installing Changing Places toilets
- providing accommodation for assistance dogs
The Minister for Disabled People, Sarah Newton and Tourism Minister recently urged all leisure attractions to follow the lead of these businesses
Examples of other businesses can be found in the VisitEngland's Inclusive Tourism Awards Guide.
The Head of Business Support at VisitEngland, Ross Calladine notes that: "Our Inclusive Tourism Award winners demonstrate that providing easy access for all makes sound business sense. By taking steps to ensure staff are disability confident, making reasonable adjustments to facilities and providing information on venue accessibility, other businesses can benefit from this valuable market.”
At the end of the day making tourism more accessible make real sense, as it not only improves travel opportunities for disabled people and many others with accessibility requirements, it can improve the quality of the visitor experience for everybody and help make the UK tourism offer more competitive.
Businesses that have a genuine commitment to providing great customer service can also join the Tourism is for Everybody campaign. No costs are involved, but the campaign asks businesses to make 9 commitments, that will give potential visitors confidence that they will receive a warm welcome. Individuals can also sign up to support the campaign and help spread the word that Tourism really is for Everybody!
About Chris Veitch - Chris is an independent consultant with significant and wide experience in the field of accessible tourism. After gaining a First Class degree in Tourism Management, Chris was a policy executive in the English Tourism Council (ETC) managing projects to improve the accessibility of tourism in England. In 2003 he set up his own practice.
Chris has been, and is currently, involved in major European projects, working across Europe including developing accessible tourism in Georgia and Turkey. Nearer to home Chris works closely with Visit England, Visit Scotland and Visit Wales, to help develop and promote Accessible Tourism.
He has collaborated in writing a number of papers and book chapters on this subject and is a regular guest speaker at conferences in Europe and elsewhere. He is also a guest lecturer at universities in the UK and elsewhere.
In Australia he has supported Accessible Tourism development by working with Austrade, Tourism Australia, Local Govt New South Wales, Destination Melbourne, Queensland Tourism and Events, Gold Coast Management.
For over 10 years Chris has been a member of the European Network for Accessible Tourism. In February 2017, he was appointed to be the UK Government Disability Champion for the Tourism Sector. In 2018 Chris became a Vice-Chair of the UK Charity Tourism For All
Underlying all of Chris’s work is his passion for providing outstanding customer service for all. The development and implementation of Accessible Tourism is a key step in achieving that goal.
Please note 'Guest Bloggers' to the CDG website do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisation - or vice versa - but are invited to do so to encourage debate and act as a constructive forum to promote issues relevant to disabled people and the disability community and their supporters.
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