How to attract guests with disabilities………….

HOTEL BUSINESS 4 MAY 2016

The ability to view stylish images online has changed the way guests choose hotels, whether they have disabilities or not. Before they book, guests want to see the type of room they might have, the view from the balcony, the stylish bar and restaurant.

The same is true for guests with disabilities, they want to see the bar too, only the extra information they need to get into it is slightly different.

Unfortunately there’s no standard in the access and facilities world; a simple wheelchair sign or “we have accessible rooms” can mean anything. I was pleasantly surprised by an adapted room in Cornwall, which was way more stylish than its dowdy online picture. But more often I’ve been disappointed by inaccessible showers with a 2-inch lip, no grab rails of any kind, or ones that you need to be an Orangutan to reach!

So it’s no wonder that hotels are facing an occupancy gap estimated at 20% by PWC ; they often don’t show what they offer. We think we may have the answer; a decent online Gallery for people with disabilities, created by people with disabilities, which sits next to the existing gallery in the website menu.

Nowhere is 100% accessible to everyone and people with disabilities are used to overcoming obstacles, we just like to know what they are in advance. Any guest might chose a balcony over the size of the room, for example. A guest with disabilities wants to make a similar choice. On the occasion that hotels have any information it’s usually a health and safety/regulatory document. The accessible room in Cornwall claimed to Be Clear, Be Different, Be Relevant, Be Exciting, Be Savvy sav·vy (sv) Informal – well informed and perceptive; shrewd

be fitted to “M3 Assisted Living… the highest standard in disabled holiday accommodation”. It turned out to be brilliant, but meant nothing to me at first!

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Blue Badge Style Gallery for South Place Hotel, Reception

A Gallery could therefore include detailed information on; lighting, induction loops, hardness of walking surfaces, the nearness of parking, distance from the entrance to reception, the position of rails and height of seats. This information is gathered by assessors who have disabilities themselves. It’s then added to interactive information pins overlaid on to the brand-compliant images.

The process of creating a Gallery means it also acts as a training exercise and permanent resource for hotel staff. By highlighting the facilities a hotel has and addressing any obstacles, it means staff also have a good idea about what to expect. No-one wants to feel anxious or nervous about a new experience, whether they are staff or guests.

So a stylish Gallery aimed at guests with disabilities could allow hotels to improve their occupancy gap. Accessible tourism and hospitality in Europe is estimated at €220bn . Added to that is the £212bn disposable income of households with one person with a disability (DWP ). But this isn’t just about attracting the Be Clear, Be Different, Be Relevant, Be Exciting, Be Savvy sav·vy (sv) Informal – well informed and perceptive; shrewd

disability dollar. It’s about improving reputation by doing the right thing and is also the quickest way to be anticipatory, as the Equality Law requires.

Most of all though, decent images and information are more likely to make guests with disabilities feel like valued customers. And who knows, we may then be more eager to spend our billions enjoying life!

Author Fiona Jarvis (@bluebadgestyle) is the Founder of Blue Badge Style. For more information on Blue Badge Style Gallery visit their website.

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