Disabilities and Access to Tourism
Author: Joshua Martin Townend
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The conference paper will provide an insight into disability within tourism and the constraints people with disabilities face when trying to access tourism. The paper uses a range of sources in order provide an analytical discussion on the subject of disability within tourism. The papers main objective is to find what types of barriers and constraints people with disabilities face within tourism and what steps are put in place for them to avoid these obstacles and strive to adapt the tourism industry so discrimination and inequality are no longer part of worldwide tourism. Similarly the paper includes the current situation within the tourism industry, society's views on the subject and the key players who are trying to ensure tourism is accessible to all. The study was performed due to the personal interest in the subject but also so that a good analysis of the current, often lacking literature available on the subject was given using a variety of authors and academic sources.
Disability within tourism has proven to be an ever-changing subject as attitudes towards disability change and new laws and legislations come into place within the tourism industry. This area is a constant area for discussion amongst authors and is a key topic when discussing equality, discrimination and acceptance, particularly within tourism. The paper will give an insight into the current research available on the subject and then give an analysis of the current barriers people within disabilities face within tourism. However The academic research on disabled tourists is fairly limited, and existing work tends to focus on the physical barriers to access for disabled people (Shaw and Coles, 2004). This paper hopes to give a deeper insight into disability within tourism and the barriers people with disabilities face. Which in turn may support the hope that the tourism industry will be able to provide inclusive and barrier-free services tailored to the needs of people with disabilities (Germ and Schleien, 1997). Papathanassis (2011) states that the demand for accessible tourism is growing noticeably on a global scale and the tourism industry is beginning to realise that disabled tourists are an important consumer group. Papathanassis (2011) also states that people with disabilities have the same motivation to travel however they are facing barriers that need to be removed.
There has been growing attention to the needs of people with disabilities in the tourism industry, this attention is a reflection of the increasing interest and concerns for the rights of disabled people as a whole (Pagan, 2012). This attention has benefited disabled tourists in that there has been progress made in the last 20 years towards removing the barriers disabled tourists face so much of transport, accommodation, and attractions are largely accessible (Yau, et al, 2004). However unfortunately there are still barriers causing restrictions to these tourists and these are discussed further within the conference paper.
The paper provides an interesting study into the area of disability within tourism and can give the reader an insight into a topic which is rarely discussed, provoking thought and a genuine interest into the topic area. The paper also has further scope for the future, where the discussion lies within current research this may lead to performing primary research into the subject and improving on the current conference paper with additional new research that will enable the researcher to see tourism from a person with a disability's point of view and the genuine first hand problems they face within tourism.
References
Daruwalla, P., and Darcy, S. (2005). Personal and societal attitudes to disability. Annals of Tourism Research. 32 (3), 549-570.
Tourism For All. (2013). About TFA. Available: http://www.tourismforall.org.uk/About-TFA.html. Last accessed 06/05/13.
Yau, M., McKercher, B., and Packer, T. (2004). Traveling with a Disability: More than an access issue. Annals of tourism Research. 31 (4), 946-960.
Key words: access, to, tourism, disabilities, disabled, disability, barriers, constraints,
Disability within tourism has proven to be an ever-changing subject as attitudes towards disability change and new laws and legislations come into place within the tourism industry. This area is a constant area for discussion amongst authors and is a key topic when discussing equality, discrimination and acceptance, particularly within tourism. The paper will give an insight into the current research available on the subject and then give an analysis of the current barriers people within disabilities face within tourism. However The academic research on disabled tourists is fairly limited, and existing work tends to focus on the physical barriers to access for disabled people (Shaw and Coles, 2004). This paper hopes to give a deeper insight into disability within tourism and the barriers people with disabilities face. Which in turn may support the hope that the tourism industry will be able to provide inclusive and barrier-free services tailored to the needs of people with disabilities (Germ and Schleien, 1997). Papathanassis (2011) states that the demand for accessible tourism is growing noticeably on a global scale and the tourism industry is beginning to realise that disabled tourists are an important consumer group. Papathanassis (2011) also states that people with disabilities have the same motivation to travel however they are facing barriers that need to be removed.
There has been growing attention to the needs of people with disabilities in the tourism industry, this attention is a reflection of the increasing interest and concerns for the rights of disabled people as a whole (Pagan, 2012). This attention has benefited disabled tourists in that there has been progress made in the last 20 years towards removing the barriers disabled tourists face so much of transport, accommodation, and attractions are largely accessible (Yau, et al, 2004). However unfortunately there are still barriers causing restrictions to these tourists and these are discussed further within the conference paper.
The paper provides an interesting study into the area of disability within tourism and can give the reader an insight into a topic which is rarely discussed, provoking thought and a genuine interest into the topic area. The paper also has further scope for the future, where the discussion lies within current research this may lead to performing primary research into the subject and improving on the current conference paper with additional new research that will enable the researcher to see tourism from a person with a disability's point of view and the genuine first hand problems they face within tourism.
References
Daruwalla, P., and Darcy, S. (2005). Personal and societal attitudes to disability. Annals of Tourism Research. 32 (3), 549-570.
Tourism For All. (2013). About TFA. Available: http://www.tourismforall.org.uk/About-TFA.html. Last accessed 06/05/13.
Yau, M., McKercher, B., and Packer, T. (2004). Traveling with a Disability: More than an access issue. Annals of tourism Research. 31 (4), 946-960.
Key words: access, to, tourism, disabilities, disabled, disability, barriers, constraints,