Britain’s top tourism body is aiming to help businesses make their products and premises more accessible by distributing an online toolkit.
Visit Britain says the initiative is aimed at micro, small and medium-sized tourism businesses and provides “quick win” practical hints and tips as well as longer term aspirational goals.
It adds that the toolkit, which can be found at https://www.visitbritain.org/ will support businesses wanting to embark on or continue their journey towards an accessible tourism market estimated to be worth £14.6bn.
Visit Britain says the tourism sector accounts for more than 10 per cent of jobs worldwide and that 15 per cent of the 1.4bn people travelling the world identify as disabled or having an accessibility requirement.
It adds: “The importance of removing barriers to make tourism more accessible to all is continuing to gain traction. In short, it’s a social responsibility that also makes great business sense.
“Making tourism accessible doesn’t need to be difficult. It is about providing a warm welcome for customers, delivering a great service and offering amazing and memorable experiences for everyone.
“These are all elements which businesses in the tourism sector are already familiar with. The key, if we are to genuinely welcome everyone, means we just need to think a little differently about these.”
Among the introduction to the toolkit are sections on removing barriers to accessibility, the spending power of disabled people and looking beyond the medical conditions of customers to provide an accessible experience.
Other subjects are the need to provide a welcoming experience, awareness of obstacles within the built environment and ensuring the commitment to accessibility extends to recruitment of staff and volunteers.
Visit Britain says: “There are many quick winds and longer-term actions you can take to ensure that both your customers and colleagues with accessibility requirements are able to experience accessible online spaces, built environments and social operations as part of their visit to or work day at your business.”
