Tourism for All UK (TFI) is a national charity dedicated to standards of world class tourism which are welcoming to all. TFI is a prime mover in improving access to knowledge about tourism, travel, and hospitality that is accessible (see for example, the article here).  With the Olympics and Paralympics only months away, the UK is gearing up to welcome the world’s finest athletes along with thousands of visitors from across the globe. TFI and Hudson’s Heritage are working together with DisabledGo and the tourist boards to bring accessibility in the UK tourism market to the forefront, in the form of an Open Britain app which will give ‘on the go’ disabled visitors the ability to search for sites close to their current location with the facilities they need, as well as being able to browse by selected profile. This will be available in March and supported through the website, which will also offer an unrivalled nationwide search of accessible tourism sites. Companies wanting to ensure that their business is represented should contact peter.diggles@hhgroup.co.uk

Facilities for disabled visitors are often lacking, and where they do exist, are not notified to potential customers. This means the industry is missing out on a substantial potential market. As the UK sees an influx in foreign visitors for the games, there will be many who need these facilities, and businesses of all kinds need to be prepared, ensuring any equipment they have is serviced, making improvements in areas that currently aren’t accessible and ensuring that they share their accessibility messages with potential visitors. In addition businesses need to ensure their staff are fully equipped and confident to welcome any guest, whatever their ability, which includes understanding facilities available and how to operate these.

Tourism for All UK is a national charity dedicated to standards of world class tourism which are welcoming to all. Tourism for All UK contains the knowledge gained over the past 30 years in providing information to the public, especially to older or disabled people, with the only UK helpline, on where their specific access needs can be met so that they can fully participate in travel and leisure. They also champion the cause of accessible tourism with policy-makers in the UK and Europe. In prompting the visitor industry to cater for all needs, TFA has also developed an unrivalled knowledge and expertise to help businesses make changes that are practical and realistic. For further information contact info@tourismforall.org.uk

Hudson’s Heritage is part of the Heritage House Group. Probably best known as publishers of Hudson’s Historic Houses & Gardens – a market-leader for 25 years – the group also provides a range of other B2B services for the heritage sector. Its contract publishing division has produced their souvenir guidebooks for many of the leading heritage attractions for many years. The company has worked closely with the HHA and other leading heritage groups over a long period.

DisabledGo is an award-winning disability organisation in operation since 2000, producing detailed online access guides to a huge range of venues. DisabledGo is one of the largest disability organisations in Europe. Passionate about grassroots consultation, they have to date involved over 800 groups of disabled people and hold 3 feedback sessions per week across the UK and Ireland.

OpenBritain is the UK’s biggest directory of accessible accommodation and travel.

Follow them on Twitter: @tourismforalluk @HudsonsHeritage @DisabledGo

Access Tourism New Zealand is celebrating celebrates 18 months  as a member of the eGranary Global Disability Rights Library.  The eGranary Digital Library — “The Internet in a Box” — is an off-line information store that provides instant access to over 30 million Internet resources to institutions lacking adequate Internet access. Through a process of copying web sites (with permission) and delivering them to partner institutions in developing countries, this digital library delivers instant access to a wide variety of educational resources including video, audio, books, journals, and web sites.

There are two major types of eGranaries: Web servers connected to wireless networks or local area networks (LANs) that can serve thousands of patrons; and stand-alone USB drives that connect to a single computer. Both have a built-in proxy and search engine that emulates the Internet experience. Both include built-in tools for subscribers to upload local materials as well as create and edit unlimited Web sites.

The eGranary Digital Library was founded in 2001 and is developed by the WiderNet Project, a service program based at the University of Iowa’s School of Library and Information Science. The eGranary is installed in more than 450 schools, clinics, and universities in Africa, India, Bangladesh, and Haiti. The project aims to expand its installations to thousands of schools, hospitals and universities in underserved areas around the globe.

Europe’s leading Accessible Travel organisation, Tourism For all UK is teaming up with the global travel community on Tripbod.com.  The aim is to find as many local people as possible with a knowledge of accessibility in their area to become ‘Tripbods’ and offer their local knowledge to visitors.  Tourism For All’s Carrie-Ann Fleming, says “it’s all about empowering truly independent travel. Connecting with a like-minded local Tripbod before you arrive means you get straight to the knowledge source you need. Disabled people already have all the knowledge they need gained from experiences, good or bad, to offer others with similar concerns invaluable local travel advice and information.”  Tripbod’s founder Sally Broom points out that every product listed on Tripbod has an accessibility rating.

The announcement comes within days of Easyjet hitting the news for two cases of discrimination against disabled travellers and Broom acknowledges the timeliness of the partnership. “These cases reflect poorly on the travel industry and we want to show another side of the story. 2012 is a massive year for travel in the UK and it would be both a shame and a failure if visitors are unable to enjoy fully their visit due to poor information.

Fleming adds, “The initial focus of the partnership will be on recruiting Tripbods in the UK with a knowledge of local accessibility, but the existing Tripbod network is global and we are welcoming everyone everywhere with a passion for independent accessible travel to join us. What’s more, we will be offering simple and effective training for Tripbods who want to help disabled travellers but need a bit more advice and support.”

Anyone interested to learn more can visit www.tripbod.com/accessibletravel
or email hello@tripbod.com.

In 2011, the New Zealand National Foundation for the Deaf (NFD) commissioned the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) to conduct research into the tourism, travel, and hospitality experiences and needs of people with hearing impairments.   Hearing impairment ranges from slight hearing loss to total loss. The research was led by Dr. Sandra Rhodda, Research Programme Leader in Access Tourism. The research included two surveys, one for residents of New Zealand (“NZ”) and one for residents of countries other than NZ (called Internationals, or “Int”) who are deaf or have hearing loss.   The aim of the research was to find out what it is like to travel with hearing loss, how the travel experiences of hearing impaired people can be improved, to establish what people with hearing loss want in terms of tourism products and services, and to offer a better understanding of Access Tourism as a legitimate tourism market.  It also evaluated the case for the development of a ‘Hearing Tick’ for tourism businesses that cater for people with hearing loss.

In summary, the survey found that

• The top four reasons why NZ and Int respondents travel in general are: for enjoyment (84%/91%), to connect with friends, family or partner (84%/59%), to have new experiences (65%/72%), and for relaxation (53%/57%).  In other words, for the same reasons as people without hearing loss travel.
• NZ respondents on average took 7.18 overnight domestic trips during 2010; this is more than the number of domestic overnight trips (4.2) taken by NZers in general. NZ respondents took either one (30%), two (11%), or three or more (10%) international trips during 2010. Forty-nine percent did not travel internationally.
• The primary reasons NZ respondents took their most recent domestic trip were to be with friends and family (31%), to holiday (25%), for business (11%), or to attend conferences (10%).
• The majority (82%) of NZ respondents travelled with at least one other person on their most recent domestic trip – mainly a spouse or partner (73%). Eighteen percent travelled alone.
• On their most recent domestic trip, NZ respondents stayed an average of 4.6 nights away from home, and spent on average $107 per person per day on transport, accommodation, activities and attractions, and food and beverage.
• Thirty-three percent of Int respondents took between three and five domestic overnight trips in their own country. The mean number of domestic overnight trips taken by Int respondents was 6.8.
• Forty percent of Int respondents did not take any international trips during 2010. Of those who did travel internationally, the majority (83%) took between one and three trips.
• Forty-three percent of Int respondents have previously visited NZ, 47% have never visited NZ but plan to do so one day; 10% have never visited and have no plans to do so.
• For those Int respondents who have been to NZ, the main reasons for their last visit were ‘holiday’ (42%), to be with friends and/or family (15%), and to attend a conference or similar event (13%).   The majority (83%) of Int respondents who visited NZ travelled with at least one other person on their  last visit – mainly their spouse or partner. Seventeen percent of Int respondents travelled by themselves to NZ.  On their last visit to NZ, Int respondents stayed an average of 13.2 days.
• Just under half (46%) of NZ respondents are somewhat dissatisfied with the number of domestic overnight trips they currently take. Factors that prevent these respondents from travelling more domestically are cost (74%), a concern that their hearing needs will not be met (37%), and difficulty finding information about access for visitors with hearing loss (24%).  Fifty-nine percent of NZ respondents ‘agree’ or ‘somewhat agree’ that they would take more domestic overnight trips if the level of service for people with hearing loss across the tourism industry in NZ was improved.
• Just under half (43%) of Int respondents are somewhat dissatisfied with the number of international trips they currently take. Factors preventing Int visitors from taking more international trips are cost (73%), time constraints (54%), concerns that their hearing needs will not be met (33%), and difficulty finding information about access for visitors with hearing loss (25%).
• Both NZ and Int respondents agree (mean 4.4-4.6 out of 5) that the most important access needs when travelling away from home include customer service staff who have a ‘can-do’ attitude and the provision of reliable information. This includes information about safety in clear print, emergency alarms in public areas that are visual as well as audible, public audio announcements also provided in text on TV screens, and customer service staff who are knowledgeable about serving guests with hearing loss.
• When asked what other things would make their travel more enjoyable and accessible, both NZ and Int respondents highlighted the importance of understanding, patient staff trained to know how to accommodate people with hearing loss, how to meet their needs, and what to do in an emergency.
• Over two-thirds (70%) of NZ and half (52%) of Int respondents indicated that it is difficult to find information about NZ tourism products that are accessible to people with hearing loss.
• Forty-two percent of NZ and 29% of Int respondents agreed with the statement that ‘information about services for the hearing impaired is often wrong or misleading’.
• The reasons most often stated by both NZ and Int respondents for not seeking information about NZ tourism products were: a lack of knowledge on how to seek information and a perception that it is too hard to find. Some also think the information does not exist, and that businesses do not cater for people with hearing loss.
• The majority of NZ (90%) and over half (55%) of Int respondents feel that the level of service in the NZ tourism industry for people with hearing loss needs to be improved.
• Nearly two thirds (60%) of NZ and three quarters of Int respondents indicate they would ‘often’ return to a tourism business that has good services for people with hearing loss; 64% and 76% would tell friends and family about such a business.
• The majority of both NZ (88%) and Int (89%) respondents think it is a good idea to have a hearing-rating symbol that NZ businesses could use to show they are accessible to people with hearing loss.
• The main reasons given by both domestic and Int respondents for saying the use of a ‘hearing tick’ is a good idea are: to show that people with hearing loss are accepted and provided for, to reduce anxiety and frustration, to make the business easily recognisable, to promote awareness by businesses of people with hearing loss, and to improve first time and repeat patronage by people with hearing loss.
• The majority of NZ (83%) and Int (91%) respondents indicate that they would visit a website that had reliable information on tourism businesses in NZ that cater for people with hearing loss.

The full report can be found on the NZTRI site and on the NFD site.

M Shed – which is part of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives’ – has recently received a Jodi Mattes Trust Award for Digital Access onsite. Their PenFriend Audio Access project was announced as the winner at a recent presentation held at Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum.   The awards relate to the use of existing technology to widen access to information and collections for disabled people more effectively and creatively. They were first given in the UK in 2003, European Year of Disabled People, and celebrate practice that inspires locally, nationally or  internationally.  The  PenFriends are audio devices that allow visitors to M Shed to listen to stories in the galleries. This is a free service provided to visually impaired visitors and to those who have difficulty reading print.

The M Shed also has induction loops, many of the films and video clips have subtitles, and transcripts of oral histories are available.  There are tactile maps of Bristol and other exhibits that can be handled in many of the galleries.

M Shed, as part of Bristol City Council, is committed to providing a website that’s accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability.  They endeavour to conform to level Double-A of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 by building their site using code compliant with the W3C standard. The technical wording for this is “valid HTML 4.01 Strict for structure and CSS for presentation”.  The site displays correctly in current browsers – though there may be visual differences. Using HTML/CSS standards means any future browsers will also display content correctly.   Whenever possible, links are written to make sense out of context.   The text size on the site is specified in a way that makes it resizable in any browser, should it be too small to read comfortably.  M Shed is keen to hear from people if anything needs changing to make their site more  accessible.

M Shed is fully accessible to wheelchair users, and wheelchairs can be borrowed. There is level access throughout and lifts to all floors. These lifts are designated fire evacuation lifts and have tactile buttons and spoken floor announcements.   There are accessible parking spaces and a drop-off/ pick up point for taxis, accessible toilets, changing facilities, and café.  Visitor Services staff have been trained to meet the needs of all visitors. For further information about accessible facilities contact the museum on 0117 35 26600 or emailinformation@mshed.org

Noosa, Queensland is well-known for its many spectacular beaches and sub-tropical climate.  The area is set to launch a tourism first, with the construction of camping grounds catering to people with disabilities and their families.  It is planned for completion in May, 2013.  Leading multi-state non-profit House With No Steps Queensland manager John Jensen said the organisation had been working on a $1.5million project at its 63 hectare Doonan property for about two years. Serengeti-type tents are planned to cater for 500 people in the first year, with an average stay of four to five days.  This is half the grounds’ potential capacity.  “They will be fully accessible,  permanent tents with a solid roof,” Mr Jensen said. “Each will have its own bathroom.”  It is hoped, the concept will give families the opportunity to holiday together, something that is very difficult without special facilities.

Good news for those with disabilities in or visiting the UK.  There is a new guide to accessible activities in Britain’s National Parks.  On top of that, a sensory garden for children and people with disabilities is to be created in an area of Liverpool’s Calderstones Park.  The garden will include specially selected plants and landscape features to stimulate the five senses and will include sound, water, air, wildlife and the texture and smell of plants.   The area is being developed as part of Liverpool’s Decade of Health and Wellbeing 2020 which aims to encourage healthier lifestyles, and will open in Spring 2012.  The £30,000 cost of the garden is being funded by a government scheme to enable and enhance facilities for disabled  children.

Meanwhile, the Co-Operative Travel company  has expanded its disabled-friendly high-street agencies, increasing, from 42 to 89 the number of branches that have staff with specialist training.  They provide essential information such as about airport facilities, and are equipped with power-assisted doors, portable hearing loops and visual alarms in store.

The Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia has added to its existing access features. Located on Independence Mall (access information here) in Independence National Historical Park, the Visitor Center is already totally accessible to wheelchair users, and wheelchairs are available for rental all year-round upon request. In addition, open captions have always been part of the two films shown in the Visitor Center’s theaters. “As the first stop for many visitors during their stay, the Independence Visitor Center plays a significant role in shaping first impressions of the Philadelphia region,” said James J. Cuorato, President & CEO of the Independence Visitor Center Corporation.

Now there are two new additions designed to provide a positive experience for visitors with hearing loss. They are a portable loop system and a mobile application which will be available for download in American Sign Language. The loop system (available at the Concierge Desk) is compatible with telecoil-equipped hearing aids, cochlear implants and induction loop receivers. Visitors who do not have a compatible hearing aid device may benefit from an individual receiver with headphones.

The Visitor Center is also launching Philadelphia History This Way, a mobile application that will guide visitors along Philadelphia’s historic square mile. This interactive tour will feature 24 sites and will be available in six languages, including American Sign Language.

These recent additions are a direct result of an ongoing partnership with Art-Reach, a local non-profit that advocates increased accessibility at cultural venues. Art-Reach advises the Independence Visitor Center on programs and equipment that will further enhance the accessibility of its facility. “The Independence Visitor Center is one of the most important gateways to our region’s rich array of cultural assets and they have demonstrated a real commitment to being welcoming to all guests,” stated Art-Reach Executive Director Michael Norris. “We are thrilled to be advising them on their accessibility enhancements.”

Art-Reach enriches lives by connecting underserved audiences to cultural experiences so that they may enjoy and benefit from the transformative powers of the arts. Each year, Art-Reach enables more than 15,000 people of all ages, economic backgrounds and abilities to experience the richness of the arts. Art-Reach is dedicated to creating proactive relationships with organizations in Philadelphia to ensure opportunities are readily available for those who may be at a disadvantage.

(from PRNewswire)

Airlines on opposite sides of the globe are coming under fire again for their handling of people with disabilities. For starters, Jetstar’s refusal in April to carry wheelchair-using journalists between Auckland and  Wellington has made it into the Innes Worst of the Year Awards list. The list is created by Graeme Innes, Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner . Innes hands out brickbats and bouquets once a year to those who do great work (or otherwise) for, by, and on behalf of the disability sector in that country. Innes calls the refusal of Jetstar – and also Virgin and Tiger airlines – to carry more than two people using wheelchairs on each aircraft “airline apartheid”.  Meanwhile,  Australian Sheila King has taken action against Jetstar in the federal Court over its “two-wheelchair-only” policy.

In the northern hemisphere, Easyjet unleashed a Twitter storm of indignation when it refused to board a woman with her service dog.  Joanna Jones was trying to board a flight at Gatwick for Belfast and had her dog Orla with her.  She had a week before had no issues with boarding with Orla for the flight from Belfast to Gatwick.  Staff at Easyjet admitted that they could see Orla was a guide dog, but said that Jones needed to provide the paperwork to “make her flight more  ‘comfortable’”.  Easyjet booked Jones on another flight after she received paperwork. Easyjet has been criticised in the past for its policies concerning customers with disabilities.

Congratulations to Salzburg, winners of the European Commission 2012 Access City Award for excellent infrastructure for disabled citizens. The Award recognizes European cities with over 50,000 inhabitants which take exemplary initiatives to improve accessibility in the urban environment.  In the context of a steadily ageing population living in European cities and its correlation with disabilities, accessibility has important social and economic benefits.  This initiative is organized in partnership with the European Disability Forum and Age Platform Europe assists in selecting the winner.

The award is given to the city that:

• has demonstrably improved accessibility in fundamental aspects of city living:
  • the built environment and public spaces;
  • transport and related infrastructure;
  • information and communication, including Information and Communication Technologies (ICT);
  • public facilities and services.
• is committed to continued improvements in accessibility in a sustainable way;
• can act as a role model and encourage the adoption of best practices in all other European cities.

Three finalist “runners-up” were Kraków (Poland), Marburg (Germany), and Santander (Spain). The European Jury also decided to attribute special mentions in each of the four key areas of accessibility. These went to:

• Terrassa (Spain) for the built environment and public spaces Ljubljana (Slovenia) for transport and related infrastructures
• Olomouc (Czech Republic) for information and communication, including new technologies
• Grenoble (France) for public facilities and services