Travel industry warned to do more for customers with disabilities
Travel businesses that fail to cater for clients with disabilities stand to lose out on £80bn a year of revenue, claims People 1st, the sector skills council for the hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel industries.
It claimed those with disabilities accounted for 20% of the average business customer base, and 66% of these clients choose businesses renowned for good service.
Supported by VisitEngland, People 1st has launched a new campaign to train 200,000 hospitality and tourism staff ahead to provide a better service to people with disabilities ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Chief executive Brian Wisdom said: “Businesses will be short sighted if they don’t harness the power of the Paralympic Games and ensure their service is accessible and disability-friendly.
"Over 10m people are classified as having a disability in the UK – equivalent to 20% of businesses’ customer base. Over a year this market is worth £80 billion.
"Good customer service is essential; 66 percent choose businesses renowned for good customer service and 83 percent have taken their business to a more accessible competitor."
The WorldHost training programme aims to raise the standard and delivery of customer service training in the UK. The programme includes additional learning modules on serving customers with disabilities, covering topics such as knowing the right language to use and being aware of feelings, misconceptions and biases.
Marc Woods, Paralympic gold-medallist and BBC commentator, said: “Disability is always relative to the task in hand and there are some very simple things businesses can do to be welcoming to those with disabilities.
"Access is often an issue, but what makes a meaningful difference is the way in which people behave. Ignorance breeds fear and debunking some of the myths around disability will have a real impact on how staff treat disabled customers.
"Simply remembering that respectful and friendly service makes a lasting impression whether your customer is disabled or not.”
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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