The Spanish Vacationer Workplace in London has printed its first Accessibility Findings Report following a collection of panel discussions with a devoted journey business advisory board on accessibility.
Throughout three thought-provoking classes, business specialists, accessibility consultants, and people with lived experiences of incapacity mentioned what accessible journey means in 2024.
Primarily based on the classes held between April and June 2024, the Spanish Vacationer Workplace has compiled this Accessibility Findings Report to spotlight key challenges and dialogue factors surrounding accessible journey and description a roadmap in direction of a extra inclusive journey sector.
The classes have been moderated by Angus Drummond, a UK accessibility marketing consultant and CEO of Limitless Journey, with further enter from Ade Adepitan, an envoy for ‘Spain for All’, and IMPULSA IGUALDAD, a Spanish non-profit organisation devoted to representing people with disabilities and accessibility necessities, together with the standardisation of tourism practices.
Manuel Butler, Director of the Spanish Vacationer Workplace (UK), says
“We’re proud to share the Spanish Vacationer Workplace’s Accessibility Findings Report because the end result of our work on accessibility over the past six months. Our intention is for this report back to function a launching level for locations or non-public journey corporations looking for to provoke their accessibility journey.
“On the Spanish Vacationer Workplace, we consider everybody has a proper to expertise journey, and we’re dedicated to decreasing discrimination and enhancing accessibility inside our journey sector. The spending energy of individuals with disabilities within the UK is estimated at £274 billion, and we intention to realize a deeper understanding of and cater to the wants of this essential client demographic.
“I’d prefer to take this chance to thank Angus Drummond, Ade Adepitan, the crew at Impulsa Igualdad, and each member of our advisory board panel that contributed to the creation of this report. We look ahead to the continuation of this initiative to create additional dialogue between Spain and the UK round accessible journey and additional our understanding across the challenges travellers with accessibility wants might face, and the alternatives to enhance.”
Key pillars of the report embrace:
1. Defining accessibility & making certain inclusivity
It’s essential to not default to wheelchair customers when speaking about accessibility
2. Closing the Info Hole
There’s an info hole on accessible journey for each shoppers and companies
3. Collaboration and Session
Accessible journey is a posh matter, and locations and organisations mustn’t really feel they should adapt alone; collaboration is vital.
4. Information
Accessibility diversifications needs to be data-driven, supported by insights from these with lived experiences of incapacity, with built-in suggestions loops.
5. Adapting the shopper journey
All the buyer journey needs to be tailored to accommodate for shoppers with accessibility wants from the analysis and reserving course of during to end-of-service.
The report concludes the primary chapter of ‘Spain for All’, a marketing campaign aimed toward higher understanding the wants of British holidaymakers with accessibility necessities. The marketing campaign is underpinned by an ongoing dedication to enhancing accessibility, eliminating discrimination, and enhancing range throughout the journey sector.
The marketing campaign additionally included a client survey to raised perceive Spain’s place as an accessible vacation spot for British vacationers.
Advisory Panel Members:
- Amanda Norey, Govt Recruitment Marketing consultant, Gail Kenny
- Angie Hills, Head of Locations, ABTA
- Angus Drummond, Founder, Limitless Journey and accessibility marketing consultant (moderator)
- Atlyn Forde, CEO, Talk Inclusively
- Ben Kirby, CEO, Allow Holidays
- Carol Rose, Head of Sustainability, ABTA
- Harry Wales, Founder, Travelosophers
- Jesús Ruiz, Head of Sustainability & Influence, Spanish Vacationer Workplace (UK)
- Jonathan Fletcher, CEO, Wheelie Good Journey
- Kate McWilliams, Managing Director, LOTUS
- Manuel Butler, Director, The Spanish Vacationer Workplace (UK)
- Marina Snellenberg, PRM & Accessibility Supervisor, TUI
- Miguel Carrasco, Director of Tourism, Impulsa Igualdad / Tur4All (Spain) and COO in TUR4all Journey
- Monica Molina, Senior Sustainability Marketing consultant, Sustainability Options (Barcelona)
- Paula Hansen, Managing Director, World Accessible Holidays
- Sassy Wyatt, Accessibility and journey marketing consultant, Blind Woman Adventures
- Stelena Angelova, Technician, Impulsa Igualdad / Tur4All (Spain)
- Susan Deer, Director of Business Relations, ABTA
