Accessible Tourism: How to Make Your Destination More Inclusive

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in the world, with millions of people traveling to different destinations every year. However, not all tourists can enjoy their travels similarly, as many destinations are still not fully accessible to people with disabilities or other special needs. 

Accessible tourism, also known as inclusive tourism or disability tourism, seeks to address this issue by making travel and tourism destinations more inclusive and available to everyone. In this blog, you'll find several useful pointers and tactics to assist you in initiating accessible tourism.

1. Conduct an Accessibility Audit

The first step in promoting more accessible tourism is to assess the current level of accessibility in your destination. This can be done by conducting an accessibility audit, which involves a detailed evaluation of all aspects of your destination, including transportation, accommodation, attractions, restaurants, and other tourism facilities. 

Myrtle Beach SC News states, “An audit should include a review of the physical space, digital environment, and overall policies and procedures to ensure they are accessible for everyone. This includes making sure there are no physical barriers that could prevent someone from accessing your business. It also means providing an environment with good lighting, adequate seating, and an easy-to-navigate layout.” 

To ensure your destination abides by the best accessibility practices and laws, you can hire a professional accessibility consultant to conduct the audit or use online tools and checklists.

2. Develop an Accessibility Plan

Once you have identified the areas where improvements are needed, you should develop an accessibility plan to address these issues. This plan should include specific actions and timelines and use innovative technology to make universal accessibility a reality for your destination.

“As the tourism industry becomes more aware of the need for accessibility, innovative solutions are emerging that make travel more inclusive for everyone," says HurixDigital. Technology has begun to play an increasingly important role in promoting accessibility in tourism.

 Apps and websites now provide tourists with accessible travel destinations, accommodations, and activities in popular destinations. New technologies are providing a range of previously unavailable solutions that are working to make the travel industry more inclusive.

The most important aspect of developing an accessibility plan is to involve people with disabilities and other stakeholders in its development to consider their needs and preferences. You can only do so much to create an accessible destination, especially if you aren’t aware of the problems people with disabilities normally face while traveling.

3. Train Staff on Accessibility

Another key element of promoting accessible tourism is training staff on accessibility issues and best practices. All staff members, including front-line staff, managers, and customer service representatives, should be trained on how to interact with customers with disabilities and how to provide assistance when needed. 

“Training should also include an understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), how to accommodate those with disabilities or special needs and guidance on what steps can be taken to increase access for everyone,” Myrtle Beach SC News reports. This will help to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all tourists at your destination.

4. Promote Accessible Tourism

Finally, it is important to promote accessible tourism to ensure that people with disabilities and other special needs are aware of the accessible options available to them. This can be done through targeted marketing campaigns, partnerships with disability organizations, and participation in accessible tourism conferences and events. By promoting accessible tourism, you can help increase awareness of the importance of accessibility and encourage more people to travel and explore your destination.

In conclusion, promoting accessible tourism is not only the right thing to do but also a smart business decision. By making your destination more inclusive and accessible, you can attract a broader range of tourists and improve the overall tourism experience for everyone by following these tips.

At StrongGo, we believe in developing a more accessible environment for the public to ensure equal opportunities for the disabled community. We do this by engineering and designing various tactile warning surface indicators. Learn more by emailing csd@stronggo.com or exploring the rest of our website!

 

Sources
https://myrtlebeachsc.com/improve-your-business-6-smart-ways-to-avoid-legal-accessibility-issues/ 
https://www.hurix.com/making-travel-more-accessible-solutions-for-the-tourism-industry/

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