Around 16 million people in the UK have a disability or impairment. The 'purple pound' (the spending power of disabled households) in the UK is worth £14.7bn and forecasts show that one in seven people will be aged over 75 by 2040, so it is important and worthwhile to consider how accessible and inclusive your tourism business is, to remove barriers and ensure everyone can enjoy visiting this beautiful area.
Legal obligations and training
The first thing to consider is what you are required to do by law as a hospitality business as there are legal requirements for any business regarding equality. The Pink Book published by VisitBritain, contains invaluable guidance on your obligations under the Equality Act 2010. Consider training for you and any staff - Tourism for All (a small, independent national charity working to improve accessibility in the tourism and leisure industry) provides free online training courses.
Accessible tourism toolkit
VisitEngland has launched a new Accessible and Inclusive Toolkit for tourism businesses. Aligned to the UK government's goal of making the destination the most accessible European destination by 2025, the toolkit aims to provide businesses with the best quality accessibility information, designs and practical guidance on inclusive practices and disability employment. Their Business Advice Hub provides invaluable information and useful research data and explains the legalities.
Showcase your accessibility features
Make sure the information on the White Cliffs Country website about your business tells visitors what facilities you offer - if there is missing information, please let us know. Email VIC@dover.gov.uk with the details.
VisitEngland quality scheme participants can also display their top accessibility features, including a link to their Accessibility Guide, on their AA Rated Trips listing.