The outdoors should be for everyone, but sadly our industry is falling short.
We commissioned a survey of 2,000 disabled people, in collaboration with disability-led inclusive marketing agency Purple Goat Agency, and found that:
- 44% of respondents who partake in outdoor holidays encounter accessibility issues
- 50% of disabled people opt out of outdoor holidays altogether, believing them to be inaccessible by nature
- 83% of respondents who have never taken an outdoor holiday say that accessibility concerns are a significant factor
But we also found that there is a huge opportunity:
- There are significant satisfaction rates with accessibility amongst those who do partake in outdoor travel (75%)
- Of those who don’t currently go on outdoor holidays, 51% said they were tempted by the appeal of connecting to nature, 48% by the tranquillity and escape it provides and 47% by the affordability of this type of holiday
Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ewJXWKYN
The UK is home to one of the highest proportions of people with accessibility needs relative to population size, and the Purple Pound contributes significantly to UK tourism (£14.6 billion in 2018 according to VisitBritain).
The opportunity is clear. It’s time to empower disabled travellers with comprehensive information and the freedom to book accommodation that meets their individual needs.
Here’s what we’ve implemented so far:
- New accessibility filters for overall site access like well-lit paths and accessible parking as well as specific unit features like wheelchair-accessible bathrooms and step-free access
- Site managers can now upload photos and provide additional information about each accessible feature
- We’ve developed a guide for site managers on how to make their site more accessible: https://lnkd.in/ekbmjD7W
- Since we realise that a holiday is as much about the surrounding area as the accommodation, we’ve also created guides on the best accessible days out and things to do in top locations (for example our Accessible Lake District guide: https://lnkd.in/eEYy4YMi)
But this is just the beginning.
We’re constantly learning and evolving based on feedback and will continue to work towards providing greater access to the outdoors for all.
Expanding your brand to Poland, made easy 🇵🇱📍Founder, Langbay | English-Polish Translation Services for Digital Businesses • SEO Translation • SEO Copywriting • Marketing
1moIt's extremely important to make life easier for people with disabilities, and it's fantastic so many brands take this approach nowadays.