Why should the hotel industry be concerned about accessibility? - By Stephen Springer, general manager, Grooms Holidays, a division of the John Grooms charity (PKF UK Opinion Piece)

So why should the hotel industry be concerned about accessibility? I should like to offer you three reasons.

Firstly, there is the moral imperative - "In a civilised society removing the barriers that exclude or disable individuals must be the right thing to do".

The Tourism For All advisory committee's report in 1989 defined accessibility as "an all embracing concept covering the use that people suffering from disabilities such as impaired mobility, hearing or sight can make use of all types of building, of transport, of recreational facilities and of the countryside. It covers the ready availability of reliable information on holidays to meet all needs".

This concept has been echoed more recently in the Government's strategy paper entitled Tomorrow's Tourism, which seeks to make our tourism industry "the most welcoming and accessible in Europe".

This imperative (along with a nudge from HRH Prince of Wales) may also have galvanised the leaders of the hotel industry to form the Hoteliers' Forum under the auspices of the Disability Partnership. The initiative has now been rebranded IndividuALL after the programme was developed to assist hoteliers to make the necessary changes to their operations in the following five key areas; culture, staff, communications, facilities and customers. The programme provides a framework for a hotel to review and adapt without major disruption to its regular business.

Hoteliers who have already responded to the issue of accessibility can testify to the validity of my second reason, which is the potential business benefit.

The following statistics are often quoted in this relation to this:

• Nearly 9 million people in the UK have a disability, which represents nearly 20% of the adult population
• Less than 5% are wheelchair users
• The disabled have a disposable income in excess of £40 billion
• The onset of disability increases with age - 70% of economically active people become disabled in their lifetime.

Apart from the direct benefit of being able to cater for this group, it should be remembered that if you are unable to meet the needs of one disabled customer you are invariably also turning away the business of their family, friends and work colleagues.

One Central London hotel was able to secure its biggest ever conference by adapting five rooms for use by wheelchair users. These rooms proved so popular that the hotel adapted a further five within two years.

High standards of accessibility benefit everyone and are therefore good for business. Wide doorways and ramps installed for the wheelchair user are also of use to adults with prams and pushchairs, the elderly who find stairs difficult, or the tourist with heavy luggage.

My third, and possibly most pressing, reason is the legal obligation. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 ("the Act"), as it applies to service providers:

• Since December 1996, it has been unlawful to treat disabled people less favourably than other people for a reason related to their disability;
• Since October 1996, service providers have had to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, such as providing extra help or making changes to the way they provide their services;
• By 2004, they may have make reasonable adjustments to the physical features of their premises to overcome physical barriers to access.

Regrettably the Act has been seen by some as a stick and there have been woeful tales of the burden that this legislation will place particularly on small hotels. However, the legislation uses the phrase "reasonable adjustment" throughout so it is impossible to be definitive about its impact and many of these scare stories are likely to be proven to be unfounded. (Racial discrimination and inequality of pay between sexes remain despite the existence of legislation against both for some considerable time.)

This is not to suggest that one should not act now but, rather, that one shouldn't be panicked into a costly overreaction. Most changes required can be implemented as part of the normal business planning cycle.

It is also vitally important to think beyond just the physical aspects of accessibility. Marketing, information provision, attitudes to disability and staff training are equally important.

The IndividuALL programme forms an excellent basis for looking at your business but, if necessary, professional advice can be obtained from the National Register of Access Consultants. Members of the Tourism For All consortium can also provide advice and expertise.

Twelve years on from the TFA report, it would be nice to think that all businesses in the hotel industry are ready to commit to making their facilities as accessible as possible and training their staff to meet the needs of as wide a range of potential customers as possible. That would not only be Tourism For All, but it would also be evidence of real quality.

Stephen has an extensive background in hotel management having worked for over 10 years in hotels around the world. His CV includes positions with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Churchill and Montcalm Hotels, London and Cobblers Cove, Barbados. Stephen has also worked for PKF's Hotel Consultancy Services as a consultant.

For further information:

Tourism For All - Tel. 020 7452 2145
E-mail: [email protected]

IndividuALL - Tel. 020 7414 1494
E-mail: [email protected]

National Register of Access Consultants - Tel. 020 7234 0434
E-mail: [email protected]

The Tourism For All Consortium works to create, develop and support an accessible hospitality and tourism industry in the UK and Europe for customers and staff, regardless of age, disability or income. It provides a national focus, leadership and co-ordinating role.

It is:

• a membership organisation for commercial operators, voluntary sector, local and central government and tourism industry organisations, providing ongoing advice and support
• a UK wide umbrella organisation raising awareness of the barriers to accessible tourism industry
• a campaigning and lobbying body for faster and better change
• a Forum for debate, exchange of information and access to the greatest level of expertise on accessibility in the UK

It also:

• develops and promotes good practice in accessible tourism
• is responsible for the UK's accessible standards

WHAT WE DO

Working with Government

• we campaign and lobby for help and support in creating an accessible tourism industry under the Tourism Strategy and Disability Discrimination Act
• we are on the government's Tourism Forum and Transport Task Force
• three government departments are observers on the Consortium
• In 1999 the first debate on Tourism For All was initiated in the House of Lords.

Working on the Tourism Strategy

Tomorrow's Tourism made a commitment to: "making… tourism the most accessible and welcoming in Europe".

To help achieve this we are:

• developing models of good practice in partnership with Regional Tourist Boards, Local Authorities and others
• encouraging and supporting the development of innovative technological solutions and booking services to maximise business opportunities
• working to develop sustainable employment opportunities in hospitality and tourism overcoming prejudice and ensuring social inclusion
• working with ETC and others on research to understand and ensure that holidays are an opportunity for everyone
• working to embrace the wider agenda of social inclusion within tourism
• working to update and evaluate the role of accessible standards in the light of Disability Discrimination Act and the tourism strategy.

Working to Assist with the Disability Discrimination Act

We:

• provide technical guidance and support and are encouraging a comprehensive approach to accessibility with a Good Practice Guide and Website -
• develop case studies to build models of best practice via access audits, prioritised and costed action plans, ongoing monitoring programmes and evaluating business benefits
• run or assist with conferences, seminars and workshops across the UK
• are developing the UK's accessible standards in line with DDA.

Working in Europe

We:

• officially represent the government on the issues of tourism for the EC
• work in partnership on EC funded programmes with other EU countries, notably on accessible standards, employment and information technology
• are "European Experts".

Working For Change

Our specialist committees include:

• Accessible Standards -working to ensure the UK's unique standards evolve "in line with customer expectations… and legislative requirements"
• LGA Local Authority TFA Forum -working to find solutions to social inclusion by working through the considerable resource of the tourism industry and to removing barriers to participation in hospitality leisure and tourism industries caused by low income
• Employment Action Group -working to promote the employment of people with disabilities as a means to improving access and changing attitudes generally
• Specialist Tourism & leisure Providers -working to develop and demonstrate models of best business practice and to change attitudes including a commitment to training and employment of disabled people.

Working for Our Member Organisations

We:

• support and participate in partnership projects with members and others
• represent members views on the government's Tourism Forum
• represent members interest as a key stakeholder, under the disability rights commission
• produce a bi-annual newsletter with member news and information on the latest developments in accessible tourism, impact of the DDA and action under the Tourism Strategy
• are developing an active Website for member use and links
• act as a clearinghouse for dissemination of information and as a signpost to Consultancy and Services provided by others.

Membership of Tourism For All Consortium

• will give direct access to unparalleled experience and expertise in accessible tourism in the UK
• gives a common Forum for debate and for raising issues
• is specifically encouraged under the Tourism Strategy
• will provide an indication of intent on commitment under the Disability Discrimination Act
• will provide access to models of good practice, case studies, technical guidance and sector and industry specific guidelines on accessible hospitality and tourism
• will provide a ready made policy statement on disability matters.

For further information please write to:
Tourism For All Consortium, 50 Scrutton Street, London EC2A 4XQ
Telephone: 020 7452 2145 Fax: 020 7452 2101
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]