Travel industry fails disabled travellers
By Darren Cronian on Monday, May 26th, 2008

Last year I booked a holiday with Olympic holidays, and I was impressed that the website highlighted hotels and apartments that were not suitable for disabled travellers, or the elderly, but this type of information is very rarely featured on travel websites or brochures.

The travel industry fails disabled travellers

I realise that the information in brochures and websites comes direct from the accommodation supplier, but that’s a cop out for travel companies who should really be forcing the suppliers to provide accurate accessibility information for disabled travellers.

Whilst browsing through a number of European travel agency websites I could not see one that provided a text only version of the website to allow blind travellers to view content through screen reading software.

To be fair though it isn’t just travel websites and brochures that needs improving but accessibility in airports, public transport, hotels and tourist attractions. Travel companies see pound signs flash up in their faces whenever people talk about improving accessibility for disabled travellers.

Travel Weekly talks about EU regulations on accessible air travel in the offing but it shouldn’t take changes in legislation for the travel industry to sit up and realise that disabled travellers are generally treated as second rate citizens.

I’d like to hear your thoughts on does the travel industry do enough for disabled travellers.


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8 responses to “Travel industry fails disabled travellers”

Koh Samui | 27 May, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Thanks for your story. I am living in Koh Samui, Thailand. I hope one day, this island will have public facilities for disabled travellers. Most of the time I see disabled travellers on the main road with wheel chair and that’s dangerous. Government should build a special road for them.

Rob Salmon | 27 May, 2008 at 4:47 pm

I was sorry to read your comments regarding provision of holidays / accommodation for disabled travellers. I do understand where you are coming from and agree that some of the bigger travel agents do not do enough to assist. I would suggest that you would be better going with a smaller more personal travel agents that have a more intermate knowledge of the properties they are renting. I run a small new this year agency and we offer a “Tailor made” service to ensure that our clients have all their needs catered for. We visit all of our properties and would know which were suitable for gues with different requirement. I hope you have better experiences in the furure.

julie | 30 May, 2008 at 5:40 am

just to nit pick… to be politically correct you should actually say travellers with disabilities.
;o)

Rob Salmon | 30 May, 2008 at 7:32 am

Apologies ! Travellers with any disabilities or indeed any one who has very specific requirements.
Stick to the small companies and I am sure you will do much better.

Darren Cronian | 3 June, 2008 at 1:06 pm

@ Julie,

No need to apologise, with hindsight yes, I should have worded this post better.

@ Rob

Could the smaller companies really deal with yoru requests though?

Rob Salmon | 3 June, 2008 at 2:05 pm

Yes of course !! more so than the bigger boys as they have better relations with owners and hoteliers.
They also have more time to spend on your requests and holiday desires rather than the number crunching holiday companies.. Give it a try you may just be pleasently suprised..

eunice | 4 June, 2008 at 11:43 am

Actually, I feel that the U.S is pretty accommodative to disabled travelers. I had been to some tourist spots, eg. Disneyland in U.S last year and I could see that transports, entrances, etc are designed for the disables for easy access.

Thanks,
Eunice

Darren Cronian | 4 June, 2008 at 11:54 am

@ Eunice

Disneyland would get crucified if it’ wasnt set up for disabled travellers, but what about the hotels in Florida?

P.s. sorry I don’t do link exchanges, no need to as people automatically link to the blog and content.

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