Scandic is the first hotel chain to launch unique information for guests with special needs
“Scandic has become the first hotel chain to gather all its information for guests with special needs in one place. Every hotel’s homepage now provides answers to the 80 most common questions. For example how far it is from the car park to the entrance, whether there is a hearing loop and how wide the door to the room is,” explains the hotel chain’s Disability Ambassador Magnus Berglund.
We all seek out information when choosing hotels and meeting venues, and we ask questions based on our own individual requirements. Hotels all have different designs and every guest has different needs, so it is extremely important to offer information that can help each person to choose the accommodation that best suits them. In recent months, Scandic has surveyed all its hotels, measuring, testing and assessing the existing facilities and obstacles. Travelling with special needs often requires more planning, and the new information will make that process easier.
“We’re not stopping at just announcing that the hotels are accessible to all. We now explain how accessible they are and what possible obstacles may be encountered, and all this information is gathered on each hotel’s homepage. This is a unique service and a fantastic aid for all our guests, and the list will constantly be updated with new information. I haven’t seen anything like this from any other hotel chain in the world,” comments Scandic’s Disability Ambassador Magnus Berglund.
It is around five years since Scandic started actively tackling accessibility issues, and since then there has been a positive increase in the number of guests with special needs. Accessibility is an important issue and information on existing facilities or obstacles can only help to increase people’s independence.
“People with disabilities travel much more widely nowadays. A few years ago, it could be difficult filling the hotel’s disability rooms on weekdays, but now they are fully booked practically every day. Offering all the information our guests need to feel confident about travelling is a natural development for Scandic, which has worked actively on accessibility at its hotels since 2003, setting the standard for many in the industry,” states Frank Fiskers, President and CEO of Scandic.