More than one billion individuals with disability worldwide represent a vast but under-served market opportunity for vacation destinations and tourism services. As the summer approaches and tourism facilities and activities open back up, governments, tourism promote agencies, and private organizations that directly or indirectly benefit from it can take a number of steps to improve accessibility at popular tourist spots.
Making a vacation destination accessible involves more than just making the beaches wheelchair accessible or ensuring the local museums, art galleries, and theaters safely entertain everyone. It requires proper planning right from providing ease of access to tourism information and accessible travel arrangements to the destination to hospitality and accommodation, local transportation, outdoor activities, and shopping.
Tourism information
All published and online material to promote travel and tourism should include information about accessible facilities and services. The information should be made available in accessible formats. Reservation systems, whether digital, phone-based or in-person, should be accessible to enable all tourists to independently make their bookings.
Tourism infrastructure
The vacation destination should have a well-connected and easily accessible network of tourism facilities, transport, and other infrastructure.
- Communication: Alternative modes and formats of communication should be facilitated (such as Braille and sign language).
- Parking: Accessible, reserved parking should be provided as close as possible to the tourist spot entry and exit areas.
- Movement: Tourism buildings and local event venues should facilitate independent horizontal movement for persons with wheelchairs, and accessible vertical movement with appropriately designed elevators, platform lifts, and emergency systems.
- Hygiene facilities: Accessible wash basins and rest rooms should be provided, and should be equipped with emergency systems.
Local transportation
Taxis, buses, and other forms of public transport should be safe and accessible. Passengers with disability should be able to easily access all transport options from all stations and terminals. On toll highways and major thoroughfares, adequate provision for rest stops with accessible facilities should be made.
Accommodation and food
Accommodation facilities should have properly accessible rooms and public areas, and should be equipped with emergency communication systems. The facilities should have arrangements for the stay of guide dogs. Restaurants, bars, and coffee shops should have furniture and fixtures designed for all persons and provide accessible facilities.
Menus should be available in accessible formats, and offer food options for persons with specific food intolerances. Convention facilities should have provision for wheelchair users and should be fitted with equipment, such as audio induction loop facilities and special headphones for individuals with hearing disability.
Cultural and historical sites
Historical tourist spots as well as cultural facilities, such as theaters, museums, and art galleries should be accessible to allow all tourists to participate in and experience the creative arts and entertainment. Cinemas and theaters should be equipped with reserved areas or special seats for persons with disability as well as provide for sign language and subtitling. Museums should have accessible facilities as well as provide for trained guides who can communicate with tourists with disabilities.
Local events and outdoor activities
Recreational and sporting facilities as well as venues that host local events should provide access to all. For local excursions, coaches should accommodate visitors with disabilities. Racetracks, stadiums, and other sports facilities should have provisions for the participation of persons with disability in all sporting and adventure activities as much as possible.
The beaches, parks, and nature trails, and other such destinations should have accessible routes and facilities.
The bottom line
Tourism is for everyone. With the global trends favoring sustainable and responsible tourism, accessibility should be a key priority of tourism policymakers, administrators, and industry participants.
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