Accessibility guide launched for disabled tourists

Access to museums and tourist attractions is to be made easier for disabled people with a standardised guide database for the the UK.

Tourism leaders in England and Scotland have launched a free-to-use website for businesses to create and publish simple accessibility guides.

It comes after a survey by accessibility review website Euan’s Guide found 54% of people with specific needs avoid going to new places if they cannot find information about accessibility.

Visitengland and Visitscotland said guides will be tailored for wheelchair users, people with hearing loss and visual impairments, as well as older people and families with young children.

It will also provide tourism venues with an opportunity to increase business, leaders said.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of Visitscotland, said: “It is our aim to make tourism inclusive and accessible for all, so that every single person can benefit from all Scotland has to offer.

“It also represents a huge commercial opportunity for the country with accessible tourism spend valued at £1.3bn.

“A report released by Business Disability Forum found that 75% of disabled people and their families have walked away from a service provider at a cost of £1.8 billion to UK businesses every month as a result of poor disability awareness.

“Our new website ... will help businesses produce informative guides in a user-friendly format.”