Accessible travel vacation guide

This accessible vacation guide wears several different hats. It aims to show you the world can still be your oyster, no matter what your special need. It's a call to action to the travel industry to cater better for people with various disabilities and needs and, helped along by our fantastic travelers it aims to inspire you to travel outside your comfort zone and see the world that awaits.

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Accessible travel vacation guide

I see myself as a traveler. Another client. Not as a disabled traveler. And yes, I have special needs, but most people have some sort of needs when they are away from home, right?

In many ways we don’t want to give this guide a name. Because tourists who have accessibility issues are probably tired of being put in a box. Or a bracket. Such as (wheelchair users welcome). At Responsible Travel we seek to promote a world of tourism where brackets are removed. Because we know that when tourism benefits everyone, travelers and hosts alike, it also makes for great vacations. And most tourists with special needs, be they an adapted bathroom, a quiet space, a fridge to store medication and so on, are no different from any other tourist. They just want to have a wonderful vacation. We hope that this accessible vacations guide shows you where to take on new adventures such as kayaking, climbing or wild swimming, or discover new places from Catalonia to Japan. Not vacations that are all about special needs. Just special vacations.

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An accessible vacation is...

still a vacation. It just has special trimmings.

An accessible vacation isn't...

all about being ‘wheelchair friendly’.

Our Accessible travel Vacations

What we rate & what we don't

Underrated

Small ship cruise vacations

Giant cruise ships have long been the quick and easy vacation option for people with access needs. However, if you want something more adventurous, less crowded and more responsible, look into the vast array of small ship cruises on offer, from the Greenland to Galapagos, Alaska to the Amazon. Many are very switched on to access issues. You just need to ask.

Safaris

Many safaris are making attempts to be more accessible, particularly in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. Ensuring that safari lodges are on one level, have adapted bathrooms, or easy access to minibuses. Still mostly aimed at wheelchair users, however, it is also worth looking into a safari with tailor made vacation experts, as they are the dons of catering for all sorts of special requirements.

A growing market

Recent research shows that the European tourism sector is missing out on as much as €142 billion due to rubbish services and attitudes to people with access needs. If destinations were accessible, demand could increase by 44 percent a year. So, you shouldn’t need a hearing loop to catch the message loud and clear on this one. People with access needs really want to travel.

Pushing boundaries

It’s hardly surprising, given the lack of inclusivity in tourism to date, that travelers play it safe when it comes to vacations. However, people are generally getting more adventurous in their travels, and the accessible tourism sector is no exception. Look into countries you haven’t thought of before, or join social media networks to be inspired by others who have scuba dived, sky dived or sailed the oceans.

Rated

Access statements

This is the key information on a company’s website to let guests know that everyone is welcome. It goes way beyond legal obligations but shows that companies are at least trying to cater for everyone’s needs, what is and isn’t available, and what the company will try to make better in future. It should be a living document, being updated all the time. The VisitEngland website has superb free guidance for businesses on creating an access statement.

Photos & videos

In order to save the guest a vast amount of time in phone calls or emails, having videos and photos of adapted bedrooms, bathrooms, restaurant access, leisure facilities, local activities, and so on, is invaluable. It means the difference between someone smiling when they see the website, already feeling welcome, and then booking. Or just giving up and going to the Marriott, because it’s easier.

Accessible websites

Making websites accessible is a great step in removing barriers and showing that all guests are welcome. There are experts out there to help companies adapt their sites; for example, by putting in code that allows the visually impaired to use text-to-speech software and/or text-to-Braille hardware. There are many simple ways to adapt websites to help people with mobility issues too.

Facilities for all

From pools to parking facilities, toilets to TVs, spas to sunbeds, having adapted and inclusive facilities makes all the difference between an OK vacation and a wonderfully welcoming one. Simple things like a unisex family changing room by the pool solves lots of issues. And please use the word accessible or inclusive instead of ‘disabled’. A disabled toilet sounds like it is out of order!

Overrated

Hostility, not hospitality

Tourists with access needs have too many sorry tales about their travels. The accessible toilets are used as storage spaces, the receptionist addresses your able bodied partner rather than you, or the waiter doesn’t ask your child with autism what ice cream he would like, but asks his siblings. The list is too long. Businesses with customer care at their core get training, get switched on and get with the programme.

Inaccurate descriptions

It is not enough for a travel company to say that it is accessible. It needs to give full details of door measurements, bathroom facilities, parking, assistance for visually impaired and so on. It is never a case of ‘less is more’ when it comes to access issues. It should be a growing list, in order to anticipate all travelers’ needs.

Multinational hotels

Ok, so they have had the resources to adapt buildings for people with access needs, and so traditionally they are the first port of call for guests. However, there is a whole world of accommodation out there that might suit your needs, from yurts to yachts, riverside cabins to riverboats. The more you ask them to cater for your needs, the more they will see how easy it can be to do so.

Wheelchair friendly

It is not enough for a business to say that they are ‘wheelchair friendly’. Apart from the fact that, in the UK, wheelchair users account for only 4 percent of the accessible tourism market, that is never enough information. Businesses need training and advice on catering for all access needs. See the Responsible Tourism page of this guide for more details.

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about Accessible travel or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Our travel team is always happy to discuss your particular requirements when it comes to accessibility. If we know early in the process exactly what you need then through communication with suppliers we can make appropriate vacation recommendations, and ensure that every aspect of your trip will meet your needs, from accommodation to meals and support.

More about Accessible travel

Top disabled access holiday destinations

Top disabled access vacation destinations

The world is gradually switching on to the fact that there is a rapidly growing number of people with disabilities wanting to travel more, but who just can’t face it because the place makes it too difficult for them.

Wheelchair accessible vacations

Wheelchair accessible vacations have seen huge advances in recent years, and while the tourism industry as a whole is still a long way from perfection on this, we’re thrilled to see more and more exciting destinations and experiences opening up for wheelchair travelers.

Holidays for people with limited mobility

Vacations for people with limited mobility

Our fantastic and diverse range of limited mobility vacations will encourage you to get out and see the world one step at a time, because not everyone is content to just stay close to their accommodation the whole time

Holidays for deaf & hard of hearing travellers

Vacations for deaf & hard of hearing travelers

Many of the accessible vacations that you’ll see on our site can be adapted for travelers that are deaf or hard of hearing, with operators always happy to go the extra mile - your hearing may be impaired, your enjoyment of the vacation won’t be.

Holidays for blind & partially sighted travellers

Vacations for blind & partially sighted travelers

What do hiking in the Spanish Pyrenees, fascinating cultural tours of Japan and ski trips in the mountains of India have in common? They’re all available in our amazing range of blind and partially sighted vacations.

Holidays for people with cognitive issues

Vacations for people with cognitive issues

Traveling with cognitive issues needn’t limit your options if the trip is well organised before departure - our cognitive issues vacations are able to accommodate a wide variety of conditions, blending practicality with inspirational activities.

Accessible vacation activities

Accessible vacation activities are definitely on the up, and not just vacations purposefully created for people with special needs - mean really full-on stuff, like watersports, gorilla trekking, horse riding and more.

Your disabled access holiday requirements

Your disabled access vacation requirements

Accessible tourism is about tourism for all, no matter your needs - here are some tips on how best to teach tourism operators about your disabled access vacation requirements, as well as any other requirements that you might have.

Disabled access vacation advice

Our disabled access vacation advice comes from some of our most celebrated travelers with various special needs - the overall advice is get out there and have fun, not just opt for the boring option because they are catering for your needs.

Responsible accessible tourism vacations

Responsible accessible tourism vacations are a weird concept, because in many ways, every responsible tourism vacation should address equal access.

More relevant guides

Written by Catherine Mack

Accessible travel vacation guide