Accessibility in travel: How to make your hotel accessible

“Disabled people spend more and stay longer,” says Richard Thompson, CEO of Inclu. But there’s a twist — they only do if you care enough to make your hotel accessible. Inclusive tourism is the fastest-growing travel market. No wonder why — The World Health Organisation reports that 1.3 billion people experience some form of disability. Do the math: it’s every 6th person.

Yet, traveling is very troublesome for disabled people. More than 70% of travelers with special needs face obstacles in dealing with airlines, airports, cruise lines, and hotels. Are you sure you’re not missing the opportunity to cater to their needs? But, is it worth investing in accessible amenities in the first place?

Continue reading, and you’ll find out.

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Why is accessible travel so important?

If you think that people with disabilities don’t travel that often, you are completely wrong. They take leisure trips practically as often as people with no special needs. Mobility issues don’t automatically mean an inability to travel. 70% of those demanding accessibility have the financial and physical ability to do it! In Europe, the potential revenue gain for accessible destinations is projected to reach €88.6 billion by 2025.

Pierre Mazurier from London’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel states that travelers can stay up to 75 nights every year in accessible rooms. His hotel offers 11 rooms specially designed for disabled people with 2 categories and a special design stairlift. Since wheelchair-friendly travel became a thing in 2015, disabled people have spent 339% more on tourism than before. 

Another reason to care about accessibility is that 25.6% of households have at least one member with a disability or limitation. 87% of people with disabilities travel with a company, meaning you attract twice as many customers by catering to their needs. Just imagine getting a broader market reach and multiplying your ROI! Now every dollar invested in accessibility in travel seems worth it, isn't it?

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The barriers to accessible travel

Inclusive tourism will grow and see significant development, reaching 1.8 billion international tourists by 2030. These tourists spend about $58.2 billion on travel yearly. Not bad at all, right?

The big question is, are the hotels ready to meet the needs of people with disabilities? Studies show that a lot of them are not.

Traveling can stress and frustrate anyone from time to time. Unexpected delays, logistical challenges, and the pressure of navigating unfamiliar places test your patience and resilience. And for people with special needs, traveling leads to much bigger problems than simple frustration. 96% of disability travelers encounter issues with accommodation while traveling. 

According to the MMGY Global report, problems start at the checkout and end with the struggles of using any convenience (or, better to say, inconvenience) in a room.

54% were betrayed by getting a different room from the one they booked. This is unpleasant enough for people with no disabilities, and a huge barrier for people with special needs, who need specific arrangements to stay safe and comfortable.

To deepen the problem, 52% of people with mobility problems deal with hotel beds that are too high, and 81% have never seen inclusive bathrooms while traveling.

These things are not just inconveniences – they're dealbreakers. 30% of guests would immediately leave a venue if disabled access was inadequate, and over 50% wouldn't return. That's a massive cut of customers hotels are turning away.

How hotels handle disabled-accessible travel needs

Although many hotel chains value customer satisfaction as their main purpose, the hospitality industry has significant room for improvement in catering to guests with disabilities. Improving the hotel guest experience with technology is not new, but people with disabilities still encounter numerous barriers, such as inadequate room features, inaccessible websites, and a lack of staff training. If your guests are planning a lovely European getaway, and they or their loved ones have disabilities, that excitement can quickly turn into frustration.

Upon entering the non-accessible rooms, the challenges become disasters. In Greece, only 10.47% of the hotel rooms are suitable for wheelchair travel, then comes Denmark with 14.74%.

It's not just about getting through the door. Essential features like grab rails in toilets, lower sinks, emergency cords, and higher-level toilets are far from standard. Portugal and the Netherlands lead the pack in some areas, but other countries lag behind.

So, the trend is growing internationally, and it’s time to explore how you can become part of the solution, not the problem.

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Inclusive design for accessible hotels

Thoughtful, inclusive design is essential for creating accessible hotel rooms and common areas. Simple considerations like bed height, wide aisles for wheelchairs, strategic placement of electrical sockets, light switches and controls, roll-in showers, and grab bars change the game for people with disabilities.

Let’s break down what you can do to make your rooms more inclusive. 

Accessible rooms in hotels

Ensure ample clear floor space for wheelchair users to maneuver, with a 5-foot turning radius in key areas like the bathroom and bedroom. Here’s what you can do to make them feel more comfortable:

• Keep furniture at the minimum and strategically place it to maximize open space
• Lower closet rods, light switches, thermostats, and other controls for easy reach
• Provide desks and tables with proper knee clearance height (27-34 inches)

The beds in your hotel rooms can make or break travel accessibility for disabled guests. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Offer height-adjustable beds so guests can easily transfer from a wheelchair
• Provide space on both sides of the bed for wheelchair access
• Install grab bars near the bed for stability and repositioning

Bathrooms are another place of risk for people with eyesight problems and limited mobility. Make sure you have the following:

• Roll-in, curbless showers with handheld showerheads, grab bars, fold-down shower seats
• Accessible toilets with grab bars properly positioned on adjacent walls
• Sinks with lever handles rather than twist knobs
• Ample space under sinks for wheelchair users' knees
• Accessible tubs with transfer seats, grab bars, and plenty of floor space

Inclusive hotel common area setup

Consider your hotel’s lobbies, lounges, restaurants, pool decks, and other amenities when planning to implement wheelchair- and eyesight-accessible travel setup. Wide, unobstructed pathways can accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and help your guests with anxiety and eyesight problems avoid injuries. Other conveniences to consider include:

• Marked signs with large print and Braille lettering
• Lowered counters at check-in desks and concierge stations
• Dining areas with ample space between tables for wheelchair navigation
• Pool lifts or sloped entries for accessible water access

It’s safe to say that elevators are a must for a wheelchair-friendly facility. Stairs are very challenging for people with disabilities. Braille labels on elevator buttons, audible floor announcements, and lowered control panels make elevators much easier to use for everyone, including those in seated positions.

And don’t forget the ramps! Ramps with gradual inclines, non-slip surfaces, and handrails on both sides ensure your guests’ safety. They should also be wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and allow for passing.

‍Playa Largo Resort & Spa pays close attention to the inclusivity of its services, making it a terrific choice for accessible holidays. Its hotel rooms and additional facilities are designed to be comfortable for people with disabilities.

The hotel also offers accessible self-parking, including van-accessible spaces, and welcomes service animals. Guest rooms are designed with accessibility in mind, featuring 32" wide doorways. Guests can reach any floor with an elevator and use accessible routes from the public entrance to key areas such as the business center, fitness center, meeting rooms, pool, registration desk, restaurants, and spa.

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Accessible travel technology for disabled-friendly holidays & business trips

While the progress in implementing accessible travel policies and projects is encouraging, there is still work to do so that all travelers, regardless of physical abilities, have barrier-free experiences. From technology to specific room and amenities settings, accessibility lies in the deep understanding of people's needs and ways to make their stays and experiences more enjoyable.

Websites and mobile apps must also be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes screen reader compatibility features, text resizing options, high contrast modes, voice commands, haptic feedback, and text-to-speech.

A great example of accessible travel technology is accessibleGO, which provides detailed information on the accessibility features of hotels, restaurants, and attractions worldwide. Users can filter search results based on their needs, making trip planning more manageable and stress-free.

Now let’s detail specific technologies, apps, and tools you can use based on the disabilities that your guest might have.

Wheelchair-friendly technology examples 

Your guest with limited mobility finds it difficult to move across the room every time they need to switch off the lights, grab the TV remote, or close the curtains when the sunshine is too bright. Here’s how you can help them:

• Voice commands with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant devices allow them to control room functions like lights, thermostats, TVs, and curtains without reaching for switches or controls.
• Accessible tour vehicles with lifts or ramps and ample space to accommodate their wheelchair or mobility devices.

Consider creating a custom application for your hotel that will provide accessibility support. Here are several ideas to empower mobility-impaired travelers:

• Accessibility app that allows users to preview a destination's terrain, locate accessible restrooms, and identify step-free routes before leaving their hotel room.
• Apps that enable guests to easily control room features and access hotel services from their bed or wheelchair.
• Learn from ready-made solutions: Wheelmap and AccessNow help users search for locations based on their accessibility features: wheelchair ramps, accessible restrooms, and parking.

Solutions for hearing-impared guests with examples

Your hearing-impaired guests won’t be able to notice hotel staff at their door or communicate their needs. Consider these in-room solutions for inclusive tourism:

• Visual alert systems notify guests with flashing lights or vibrations every time someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door.
• Make sure TVs have closed captioning for all media and remember to turn it on before guests check in to a room.
• A guest with hearing loss can listen to a tour guide or conference presenter via a provided assistive listening device that amplifies the speaker's voice.

Making your hotel welcoming to deaf and hard-of-hearing guests is easier than ever with off-the-shelf inclusive travel technology. Check these apps:

• Video Relay Service (VRS) apps like Convo, Purple, and Sorenso let deaf travelers make and receive calls using sign language interpreters.
• Sign language translation apps, such as SignAll and Hand Talk, bridge the communication gap between hearing-impaired guests and your staff.
• Visual notification apps like AVA are particularly useful in hotel rooms, where deaf travelers may not be able to hear knocks on the door or emergency alarms.

Accessible travel solutions for guests with visual impairments

Guests with visual impairments, including the blind, deafblind, and partially sighted, face challenges before the actual travel starts: they can’t navigate your website and book an accessible room without a screen reader-compatible interface. Help them with:

• A hotel website compatible with screen reader technology that offers detailed verbal descriptions, phone booking options, and accessible digital content. Check how NV Assess handled the issue with accessible technology solutions.
• Online information about accessible features, room layouts, and common area navigation to let them plan their stay.
• Use an accessibility app like BlindSquare to provide audible directions, describe the terrain, and identify obstacle-free routes around the hotel property.

Travel solutions for mentally disabled guests

Guests with cognitive impairments or mental disorders may feel anxious or overwhelmed when visiting new locations. Crowds in historical places and local festivals may cause them to avoid entertainment at all. Empower them with:

• Noise-reduction headphones that play relaxing nature sounds or lounge music help your guests calm down and feel at ease.
• Tablets or mobile apps with a chatbot for room service or front desk assistance eliminate the need for personal interaction.

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The perks of adjusting your hotel for disabled people

As more businesses prioritize accessibility, we can expect to see new technologies, design solutions, and best practices emerge. And for a good reason: apart from being socially conscious as a brand, you can also increase your revenue. Guests with special needs tend to stay 3.3 nights when the average for other guests is 2.9. They also spend 9.9% more per stay!

Opportunities expand not only to hotels but also to travel agencies. Accessible travel tours are a real thing, and they are becoming popular for accessible holidays abroad and within the country. LimitlessTravel, for example, offers short and long-stay holiday packages, cruises, and festivals for people with disabilities. By treating people with a pinch of luxury and diversity, they evoke trust and boost customer loyalty.

Understanding and predicting customer needs is a big part of the task. How do you implement all solutions correctly and integrate them within your software infrastructure and daily workflows? An accessible travel agency is your way out of this turmoil.

COAX is dedicated to providing expert guidance and solutions to help our clients navigate the path to accessibility. Our SDLC starts with building a detailed roadmap and evaluating your resources to implement inclusive technology and use it as efficiently as possible. We break down every step of your guest journey and improve inclusivity across all touchpoints, from creating accessible travel websites and travel applications to integrating IoT in-room technology into your existing digital infrastructure. 

Top accessible destinations and hotels to learn from

Despite the efforts required, some destinations are already turning their tides to become disabled-friendly. 

The Asian region can serve as an example for European countries. Thailand stands out as a leader in this movement, with a remarkable 77% of surveyed hotels offering accessible guestrooms and 67% of all public restrooms being accessible. Also, nearly four out of five hotels train their staff to assist guests with disabilities.

Europe is slowly embracing the need for accessibility setup in hotel rooms and areas. In Belgium and Ireland, the percentage of safe and inclusive rooms and furniture is around 30%, giving travelers more accommodation options. 

In the US, technology helps large hotel chains become safer and more accessible for guests.

For instance, Wynn Las Vegas has implemented Amazon Echo devices throughout all 4,748 hotel rooms, allowing guests to control room functions with voice commands. This benefits those with mobility issues and provides a convenient, hands-free experience for all guests.

Another well-known hotel chain that leveraged Amazon Echo is Mariott. Guests can use Alexa to order room service, request housekeeping, and get concierge advice. Marriott reportedly evaluated both Alexa and Apple's Siri before choosing Alexa. However, they emphasize the partnership isn't exclusive, leaving room for future collaborations and more technology to implement.

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Accessible travel in a nutshell

Accessible tourism is a massive, underserved market with immense potential. Over 1 billion people globally live with disability, and they spend a whopping $58.2 billion on travel every year. They tend to stay longer and become loyal customers if you cater to their needs. 

By making small changes, like wider doorways, inclusive and comfortable hotel layouts, and accessible rooms, implementing digital tools, accessible technology, and staff training, you can unlock this goldmine and create a positive social impact. Don't miss out – make your hotel accessible and inclusive to everyone.

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FAQ

What is accessible travel?

Accessible travel refers to travel experiences designed to be inclusive for people with disabilities. This includes everything from accessible transportation and accommodations to websites and attractions that are easy for everyone to use.

Why is accessible travel important?

Over 1 billion people globally have a disability, and they set a significant and often overlooked market for the travel industry. People with disabilities tend to travel just as often as those without disabilities. By making travel more accessible, businesses can tap into this market.

What are some examples of accessible technology?

With voice controls, guests can operate lights, thermostats, and other room features using their voices. Knocks on the door or emergency alarms can be simplified for guests who are deaf with the help of visual notification apps. Using GPS-based navigation apps can help people in wheelchairs use amenities and see attractions without crowds or hard terrain.

What resources are available to help me learn more about accessible travel?

There are many resources available to help you learn more about accessible travel. Here are a few:

• The National Center for Universal Design
• The American Disabilities Act (ADA)
• The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)