In his book The Art of Travel Alain de Botton states: “If our lives are dominated by a search for happiness, then perhaps few activities reveal as much about the dynamics of this quest – in all its ardour and paradoxes – than our travels. They express, however inarticulately, an understanding of what life might be about, outside the constraints of work and the struggle for survival.”
Travel provides the opportunity to be away from our everyday routines and challenges. This is a universal desire, no matter who we are or what challenges we face. But equally important is that we are also going away to somewhere, and the experience depends very much on the accessibility of the offerings of tourism destinations and the tourism industry.
Unfortunately, many barriers exist that make tourism inaccessible, particularly to those who are vulnerable. For 2016 the UN World Tourism Organisation adopted the theme, Tourism for All, promoting universal accessibility, which is primarily about increasing awareness amongst tourism stakeholders on the importance of recognising and addressing the needs of people with vulnerabilities.
The problem is that, in the tourism sphere, these vulnerabilities are often equated only with physical disabilities. People most easily recognise mobility, visual, hearing and speech impairments and it is generally not too difficult to understand the specific physical requirements to enable accessibility. Hotels, airlines and attractions, while still too few, and far from adequate in many cases, achieve universal accessibility compliance through adapting and designing their physical resources and built environment to meet the needs of this market.
Ramps are built, special parking reserved, aisles widened, audio solutions provided and so on. Often this is where organisations stop and they do not recognise the needs of those accessibility markets that are not as easily identified. How often do organisations actually strategize on their response to people with mental impairments, learning difficulties, the elderly, pregnant women, people with prams, people with children, those suffering from obesity, those with food intolerances and people with temporal disabilities such as injures or sudden trauma whilst travelling?
How often do they consider those who may feel ‘psychologically’ or socially excluded, people who were not able, or permitted, to travel in a previous era because of a political dispensation such as apartheid and at some level still feel unwelcome or uncomfortable?
Travel is often unpredictable and even impossible for tourists (or potential tourists) with vulnerabilities. Tourists don’t know what to expect because the quality of accessibility and information is so varied, travel is often more expensive and venturing into new territory may seem too daunting. Businesses don’t understand (or misunderstand) the needs of the accessibility market and investment in trying to understand and respond to these needs is seen as a cost with little return.
While policy-makers at the destination-level agree that tourism for all and universal accessibility are matters of ethics and human rights, this has not yet translated into an attitude change and an adequate response at the industry and organisational level. In promoting the concept of universal accessibility the economic value of the accessibility market and the business opportunities inherent in this value are being used to appeal to organisations to adapt and change. But in the longer term, this strategy is not the most effective way to ensure an attitudinal change that supports the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.
One cannot after all buy an attitude change. One can also not meet the needs of all the different types of vulnerabilities using only economic means.
The foundation of tourism accessibility for all is formed by an inclusive attitude which recognises that an investment in making tourism accessible to all is more than an economic one. Each individual in the tourism industry needs to understand that, on a psychological level, they play a crucial role in creating the environment that allow people to escape from their everyday routines and struggles.
Decision-makers in the tourism industry should foster a culture of sensitivity to recognise and empower their staff to respond to special needs as and when it presents itself. While specific skills can be taught, a major gap still exists in tourism suppliers’ attitude towards people with vulnerabilities. The rigidity of systems and responses to customer needs impacts those with special needs most seriously.
Organisations have a responsibility to train their staff to understand and be sensitive in their interaction with customers with special needs and they should provide a more flexible environment in which this can be done. The tourism product is also made up of many elements that require an entire chain of suppliers, from information providers prior to bookings being made, to transport, accommodation, attractions, shopping, restaurants and more. If one link in this chain is broken (through inaccessibility) the trip is spoiled. Tourism experiences that are accessible are compatible with human needs and purposes – it brings us back to what De Botton refers to as “an understanding of what life might be about, outside the constraints of work and the struggle for survival.”
More than lip-service and basic architectural adaptations are needed to do justice to the concept of ‘Tourism for all and universal accessibility’. People in tourism, tourism organisations and the whole industry need a complete change in mind-set, an inclusive attitude that recognises that the environment and resources are there to serve all. Tourism suppliers should stop seeing accessibility needs as a liability (or only as a business decision) and provide equal opportunities that make environments, experiences and services accessible to the widest range of customers.
