Accessible Tourism in Europe Chris Veitch - European Network for - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Accessible Tourism in Europe

Chris Veitch - European Network for Accessible Tourism Izmir, Turkey, 7th December 2012

Then…

• Disabled and elderly people were marginalised in society.
• Not seen as a desirable or valuable market by the tourism sector
• Lack of knowledge about how to address their needs.

Now…

• Increasing numbers of older travellers: travel is part of senior lifestyle.
• Older people inevitably acquire some disabilities or impairments.

In fact most disabilities are acquired

• These are not the "traditional" old people we knew 30 years ago.
• They aspire to do more and go to new places in their retirement/old age...

Why has the accessible tourism market been ignored for so long?

The Demand

• The active older “baby-boomer” generation is

changing the perception of "customers with disabilities" in the minds of tourism business

• wners.
• Businesses are gearing up to meet the

requirements of seniors, disabled visitors, families and an increasingly diverse market.

• 60 is the new 40!
• Untapped potential for SMEs => 20%

customer base lost

• Loyal, frequent travellers, travelling off

season and for longer periods

• With ageing there is a correlation of

increase in disability.

World Report on Disability, 2011

Disability

The Demand

• Study by Surrey University (2003)
• 80 ¡million ¡people ¡with ¡disabili2es ¡in ¡Europe ¡ ¡

= ¡133million ¡people ¡(inc ¡travelling ¡ companions) ¡

• Poten3al ¡Revenue ¡– ¡based ¡on ¡average ¡spend ¡
• f ¡620 ¡euro ¡per ¡arrival ¡= ¡€ 80billion ¡
• Likely ¡to ¡be ¡higher ¡as ¡figures ¡on ¡based ¡on ¡

disabled ¡people, ¡not ¡the ¡elderly, ¡friends ¡and ¡

• family. ¡
• And ¡based ¡only ¡on ¡Europeans ¡not ¡other ¡

poten3al ¡visitors ¡globally. ¡

• 83% of disabled people 'walked away’

unable/unwilling to make a purchase

• The most important factor was

inaccessible premises

• Other important factors: lack of physical

adjustments in store; that staff were rude or appeared prejudiced, staff weren't disability aware

• inflexible service or unwillingness to

make adjustments

Employers Forum on Disability & Radar survey 2006:

The Walk Away £ Survey

After the London 2012 Paralympics:

• Two thirds of viewers that watched

Channel 4's coverage of the London 2012 Paralympics felt it has had a favourable impact on their perceptions towards people with disabilities.

• 65 % now feel more positive towards

disabled people,

• 68 % felt the coverage of the

Paralympics has had a positive impact

• n their perceptions of disabled sport

hGp://www.insidethegames.biz/paralympics/summer-­‑paralympics/ 2012/1010742-­‑two-­‑in-­‑three-­‑more-­‑posi3ve-­‑towards-­‑disability-­‑sport-­‑aPer-­‑ channel-­‑4-­‑paralympic-­‑coverage ¡ ¡

London South Bank Tourism Legacy from 2012 Paralympics:

¡

• The Mayor, Southwark and Lambeth Councils completed a £4 million

scheme to improve accessibility along the South Bank riverside walk in time for the London Games. Nearly 4km of historic, varied and attractive promenade.

• The project has been designed to leave a lasting legacy of the 2012

Games for Londoners and visitors alike, enabling even more people to enjoy one of the capital’s most visited public spaces.

• Successfully delivering accessibility improvements in an area of great

historical importance makes the South Bank scheme a 'first' in public realm enhancement.

• The improvements include new pavement layouts, better lighting and

signage, more seating, more access ramps and handrails.

Not ¡all ¡disabili2es ¡are ¡visible ¡

Access ¡impera3ves ¡

Legal Moral Business

e.g. ¡UK ¡Disability ¡Discrimina2on ¡Act ¡1995 ¡/ ¡Equality ¡Act ¡2010 ¡

Drivers for Accessible Tourism

Accessibility development

• Universal Design and Service offers

exciting and untapped development

• pportunities for visitors, local

businesses and destinations.

• We should see improving

accessibility in tourism as compelling, not just a means to an end in itself (an easily accessible tourist experience) but also as a‘tool’leveraging many other wider benefits.

Benefits of Accessible Tourism

Accessible Tourism

Valorisation of

• ff-the-

beaten-track destinations Diversified tourism offer Off-setting seasonality Quality tourism offer Attracting more tourists

Business & Destination Benefits Through Accessibility

Accessibility Improve Quality Respond to Changing Markets Increase Market Opportunities More Competitive Differentiate Create a Unique Selling Proposition A Better Welcome Repeat Visits & Recommendations Improved Financial Sustainability Seasonality Social Responsibility Civic Pride Inward Investment

We ¡all ¡fit ¡into ¡this ¡box ¡ ¡we ¡call ¡accessibility! ¡

Design for all Foundation

See the customer not the disability

Impact of disability

• n holiday-taking

Similar to non- disabled holiday experience Holiday-taking is a possibility, depending

• n availability of

disabled facilities / services Holiday-taking can be complicated, involving potential loss of dignity for disabled person

Partially hearing or visually impaired Mobility impaired - no walking aids Profoundly deaf or blind Wheelchair user Mobility impaired - with walking aids Adult learning disability / mental health problems, with behavioural problems

Low impact High impact

Source: VisitBritain

The Accessibility Market Specialist ¡ All ¡other ¡ Markets ¡

• Accessibility benefits a wider market e.g. families and older

people.

• A loyal market.
• Building accessibility into new build / refurbishment can be low

cost.

• Attractions can be better for everyone if they are accessible
• Access information is important.
• Staff training is vital.
• The more accessible the business the more attractive it is to a

wider number of people – wider customer base.

• If not accessible can stand to lose more than one customer.
• See accessibility as the norm so that ‘everyone can have a good

time together’.

Key messages

European Commission Preparatory Action Tourism for ALL: 2012-2014

Budget from European Parliament in 2012: € 1 million Objectives:

• To raise awareness
• To disseminate and reward best practices
• To improve skills
• To foster innovative solutions
• To promote more accessible services and facilities
• To incentivise and reward accessibility efforts

EC Mapping the demand

§ 48% of disabled tourists in Germany would travel more often if services were more accessible § £2 billion is the contribution of disabled travellers to the domestic visitor economy in UK (2009)

Fragmented data for EU-27

1) Assess Economic impulse on tourism 2) Forecast the demand of accessible tourism services until 2020 3) Understanding the beneficiaries (travel propensity, patterns, disabilities)

EC Mapping supply

Lack of information Inadequate services "Broken" supply chain

= loss of potential travellers

1) EU-wide quantitative assessment of the accessibility of the tourism supply chain 2) Performance check” (satisfaction, effectiveness, usability, customisation) 3) Finding the bottlenecks for travellers and for businesses § € 4 billion : the cost of "non-accessibility" of tourism § 60% would be willing to pay more for accessible tourism services § 17% holidays outside Europe because of more accessible services

EC Improving skills €.

Staff can make or spoil the holiday experience

1) Need to identify gaps in the current level of skills and training to cater for people with special access needs 2) Need to disseminate best practices in disability training in tourism.

§ Understanding people’s needs Impairments affect areas other than physical mobility § Safety is paramount

EC Overview for 2013

• Data gathering, statistics

– Socio-economic – Behavioural

• Focussing on information and communication

– Developing compelling messages – Finding effective multipliers – Communicating proactively – Closing the communication gap

• Practical tools

– Guidance, checklists – Practical tips

EC Accessible tourism: paving the way…

EP Preparatory Action Dialogue

• More/better data
• Better awareness
• Tools, best practices
• National authorities
• Stakeholders, industry

Understand the market better and make proposals for future action

Adapted from Lane (2007)

Unlocking the potential: Key role for destinations

‘Understanding this interconnectedness and interdependence of individual businesses in the experience of the visitor is essential in order for destinations to grow their market share.’ ‘To achieve this understanding may require the leadership of destination managers and marketers, such as regional tourism organisations, local chambers of commerce as well as local governments.’

Dickson & Darcy (2012)

We ¡are ¡the ¡champions! ¡

Interna3onal ¡Des3na3on ¡ (Con3nent) ¡ Na3onal ¡Des3na3on ¡ Regional ¡ Des3na3on ¡ Local ¡ Des3na3on ¡

Tourism ¡ Businesses ¡

Facilities ¡ Information ¡ Customer ¡ Service ¡

Accessible ¡Tourism ¡

Access Statements

www.access.tourismtools.co.uk

www.visitengland.org/busdev/bussupport/access/index.aspx

England ¡Business ¡Support ¡

Destination Support

ENAT Survey of 39 Websites of National Tourist Organisations in Europe

(Summer 2011) Two simple questions…

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• 1. Are NTO websites accessible for people with disabilities?
• Automated T.A.W. test (WAI-WCAG 1.0 ‘Level A’)

0 ¡ 100 ¡ 200 ¡ 300 ¡ 400 ¡ 500 ¡ 600 ¡ 700 ¡ 800 ¡ 900 ¡ Country ¡ Romania ¡ Latvia ¡ Spain ¡ Portugal ¡ Poland ¡ Estonia ¡ San ¡Marino ¡ Italy ¡ Ireland ¡ Norway ¡ FYROM ¡ Denmark ¡ Lithuania ¡ Sweden ¡ Malta ¡ Montenegro ¡ Georgia ¡ Bulgaria ¡ Belgium ¡ Switzerland ¡ Slovakia ¡ United ¡Kingdom ¡ Hungary ¡ Holland ¡ Greece ¡ Finland ¡ Czech ¡Republic ¡ Austria ¡ Serbia ¡ Luxembourg ¡ Turkey ¡ Iceland ¡ Cyprus ¡ Monaco ¡ France ¡ Germany ¡ Croa3a ¡ Slovenia ¡ Ukraine ¡

• No. ¡Of ¡access ¡issues ¡requiring ¡human ¡checking ¡
• No. ¡Of ¡Fail ¡points ¡in ¡Automated ¡Test ¡

10 ¡NTO ¡sites ¡ passed ¡WAI-­‑A ¡

• ­‑ ¡but ¡only ¡on ¡

the ¡basis ¡of ¡ automated ¡

• tes2ng. ¡

ENAT Web Accessibility Survey

• f 39 NTO websites: T.A.W Accessibility Test

< Passed…………….Failed >

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ENAT Survey of 39 Websites of National Tourist Organisations in Europe

35

• 2. Is there access information on NTO websites for the

customers who need it? (Disabled people, seniors and others?)

• Review by market researchers

19 out of 39 NTOs’ Websites have accessibility information (in blue)

Information on accessibility Austria Belgium Cyprus Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Ireland Italy Luxembourg Malta Portugal Romania Slovenia Sweden Switzerland Turkey U.K.

Accessibility information

• n Websites

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Accessibility information on tourist-travel booking websites (Results for 2010)

• Over 8000 hotels and Bed & Breakfast

establishments publish accessibility information on their websites, using OSSATE criteria www.ossate.org http://www.visitbritain.org/

http://www.newvisiongroup.co.uk/

Accessibility information

• n Websites

Accessibility information

• n Websites

UK ¡Tourism ¡Websites ¡ Oct ¡2010 ¡– ¡Oct ¡2011: ¡ ¡

§ 2m+ ¡accessibility ¡searches ¡ across ¡their ¡websites ¡ § 26% ¡(avg.) ¡increase ¡in ¡bookings ¡

• f ¡accessible ¡accommoda3on ¡

Web ¡accessibility ¡and ¡tourism ¡

• Without ¡accessibility: ¡

– Possible ¡loss ¡of ¡customers ¡ in ¡general ¡ – Loss ¡of ¡customers ¡from ¡the ¡ € ¡80 ¡billion ¡segment ¡of ¡ people ¡with ¡disabili3es, ¡ elderly ¡and ¡fellow ¡ travellers ¡

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AID STATION PARKING SPACES RAMP SIGN POSTS ACCESSIBLE TOILETS ACCESSIBLE CHANGING ROOM ACCESSIBLE SHOWER SHADED AREA ACCESSIBLE AND REMOVABLE WALKWAY AUDIOPLAGE TIRALO

France: Accessible Beaches

The ultimate goal being to promote independence in an inclusive environment independence and

www.accessibletourism.org/resources/enat.../mason_abs2_en.doc

“Tourism ¡for ¡all ¡in ¡ ¡ the ¡Basque ¡Country” ¡ ¡

• Based on diverse user requirements and indicators
• Comprehensive, labelling system based on objective measurements
• Extensive data recorded for many types of establishments.

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Portugal

Accessible Portugal Travel Agency

• 1. SME – small beginnings, fast growth
• 2. Inclusive holidays for people with disabilities,

families and friends

• 3. Entrepreneur and Tourism Awards winner
• 4. “Lousã - Accessible Destination”

development partner

• 5. 95.5% customers from abroad
• 6. Offers advice to businesses on accessibility

http://www.accessibleportugal.com/

Good Practices – small enterprise

League of Historical and Accessible Cities

• The ¡League ¡of ¡Historical ¡and ¡Accessible ¡

Ci2es’ ¡main ¡aim ¡is ¡to ¡improve ¡the ¡ accessibility ¡of ¡historical ¡towns ¡promo3ng ¡ at ¡the ¡same ¡3me ¡sustainable ¡tourism ¡ development ¡and ¡the ¡protec3on ¡of ¡cultural ¡

• heritage. ¡
• Avila ¡(Spain) ¡ ¡
• Lucca ¡(Italy) ¡
• Mulhouse ¡(France) ¡
• Torino ¡(Italy) ¡-­‑ ¡
• Viborg ¡

www.lhac.eu

Business ¡Incen2ves, ¡ ¡ …Marke2ng, ¡Awards… ¡ ¡

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ü ENAT Code of Good Conduct

• Accessible Tourism Standards development
• TGB - ENAT Accessible Tourism Certification

ü EU Access City Awards, Berlin, Germany 2012 ü UNWTO Ulysses Awards

• two accessible tourism NGOs in 2011

ü EU EDEN Destinations of Excellence Awards

• 2012 Theme ”Accessible Tourism Destinations”

Scandic ¡Hotels ¡and ¡CSR ¡

• Sweden, Nordic and N. European countries
• In 2007, gained 15,000 extra overnights

from accessible rooms

• Have expanded to over 100 hotels
• In 2010 built and opened Scandic Berlin

with 100 accessible rooms

• Gain conference business thanks to access

policies and practices

• Checklist of 110 Access requirements

At ¡Scandic ¡you ¡are ¡not ¡disabled, ¡ ¡ at ¡Scandic ¡you ¡are ¡our ¡guest ¡

We include guests - we do not exclude.

A ¡list ¡with ¡110 ¡items, ¡90 ¡of ¡which ¡are ¡

• compulsory. ¡

How ¡is ¡our ¡hotel ¡doing? ¡

Scandic Accessibility Standards

First ¡in ¡the ¡world ¡

Scandic is the first hotel chain in the world to offer detailed online information about the interior of individual hotels.

• 1. Go to the hotel's website.
• 2. Select “Facilities”
• 3. Select “Special needs”

Make sure that the information about our hotel is correct and that nothing is missing, etc.

Scandic Hotels and CSR

www.scandichotels.com

Social Tourism

• Social ¡Tourism ¡Project ¡– ¡‘Accessible ¡

Culture ¡for ¡all’ ¡

• Aims ¡to ¡get ¡more ¡people ¡to ¡ ¡visit ¡

Malta ¡

• People ¡with ¡access ¡requirements ¡do ¡

not ¡travel ¡alone, ¡are ¡big ¡spenders ¡ and ¡likely ¡to ¡return ¡

• Need ¡to ¡be ¡more ¡clever ¡and ¡

strategic ¡and ¡sophis3cated ¡and ¡treat ¡ social ¡ ¡tourism ¡like ¡a ¡mainstream ¡ market ¡

¡

Malta

Good Practices

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• Good Practices in accessible tourism are found in

many EU member States.

• The important thing is to learn from them and to

improve, by following the good examples.

• Projects and Good Practices on the ENAT website:

http://www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.projects

European Network for Accessible Tourism

• The Network started as a

pilot project for applying disability policies in the tourism sector (- Part-funded by European Union, 2006-2007).

• It was established as a non-

profit NGO in Brussels in

• 2008. Now it is funded by

member contributions.

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ENAT’s Mission The mission of the European Network for Accessible Tourism is to make European tourism destinations, products and services accessible to all travellers and to promote accessible tourism around the world.

55

ENAT’s Activities

• Providing information about tourists’ access

requirements to the tourism industry

• Helping to develop guidelines for destinations

and businesses

• Collecting and spreading good examples from

tourism destinations and businesses around the world

• Helping ENAT members to find contacts and

develop projects together, accessing European Union Funding

• Training professionals in the tourism business.

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Who Can Join ENAT? Who Should Join ENAT?

• Travel and tourism industry
• Public sector
• Professionals
• Non-Governmental Organisations
• Individual members

ENAT membership

City Tourism Development Offices, National and Regional Tourist Boards, Access Consultants, Students, Tour Operators, Small Tourism Enterprises, Attractions, Travel Agents, Conference and Events Organisers, etc. etc.

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In Europe and around the world

Over 200 members in almost 30 countries

• Tourism businesses (55%)
• Public sector (12%)
• NGOs (33%)

In Europe, Africa, Middle East, North and South America, Asia, Australia

www.accesstraining.eu

Online Training

Source: ¡‘Growing ¡your ¡customer ¡base ¡to ¡include ¡disabled ¡people.’ ¡

• A ¡growing ¡and ¡demanding ¡market. ¡
• A ¡market ¡that ¡offers ¡businesses ¡good ¡financial ¡rewards ¡
• Supports ¡longer-­‑term ¡tourism ¡viability ¡and ¡financial ¡

sustainability ¡of ¡businesses ¡and ¡des3na3on. ¡(Jobs ¡and ¡ revenue) ¡

• Inclusion ¡policies ¡and ¡accessibility ¡of ¡ci3es ¡key ¡to ¡win ¡big ¡

events ¡and ¡make ¡them ¡successful ¡

• Can ¡help ¡address ¡issues ¡of ¡seasonality, ¡where ¡those ¡without ¡

3me ¡constraints ¡can ¡travel ¡throughout ¡the ¡year. ¡

• It ¡affirms ¡an ¡inclusive ¡approach ¡to ¡development, ¡reflec3ng ¡

social ¡responsibility. ¡

• Can ¡contribute ¡to ¡improved ¡quality ¡of ¡life ¡for ¡local ¡community. ¡ ¡

¡

Benefits ¡of ¡accessibility ¡

Win ¡ Win ¡ Win ¡

Visitors ¡ Businesses ¡ Des3na3ons ¡

www.accessibletourism.org