Responsible Travel in the UK connects the world’s best small holiday companies with travellers looking for more from their holiday than just a brief stay. They offer personal holidays or holidays in a small group from over 375 small and specialist tour companies in 190+ countries. Convinced that small holiday companies are run by interesting people who founded them out of a deep love for destinations, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, their aim is treat local people and places well. Responsible Travel now has an Accessible Holiday Guide about accessible travel for people with disabilities. It covers places to stay and things to do, and has advice on travelling with a disability.
As the website points out, the world’s travelling population is getting older, with varying access needs. Many businesses are starting to hear the message that tourists who travel with special needs are increasing in number. The term ‘purple pound’ or ‘dollar’ has even been coined to describe this rapidly growing worldwide market. Martin Heng, Accessible Travel Manager & Editorial Adviser, Lonely Planet (Australia) is a world-travelled wheelchair user. He writes on the website that “Baby boomers are now retiring with access issues, whether they identify as disabled or not, they are increasingly subject to varying degrees of disability, whether it is hearing, sight or mobility. And this is a market that I think the smart national tourism bodies are actually thinking about. Examples of these are England, Scotland and Wales, on the back of the last Olympics and Paralympics in London – but also Catalonia and Germany”.
Follow on Twitter: @r_travel @Martin_Heng @lonelyplanet
