There has been a lot of discussion about Universal Design in relation to built infrastructure as a means to a fully inclusive Tourism Industry. In the main though those discussions are still about access and that in itself will not necessarily change the underlying culture of the Tourism Industry. In order to understand how to make that definition a part of the Tourism Industry Culture it is important to understand the history of accessibility legislation, how it has affected tourism operations, how the industry is structured and finally where and when the purchase decisions are made. Read more at http://travability.travel

1. Travel Industry Structure is a Barrier
to Inclusive Tourism
The disabled traveller is seen as a problem not a customer,
and yet will be 25% of the Travel Market by 2020
Prepared by Travability Pty. Ltd. Phone 0417 690 533 Email bill@travability.travel

2. © Travability 2012
Accessibility does not equal Inclusive Tourism
Inclusive Tourism is defined as:
“Inclusive Tourism” - “the application of the seven principles of Universal Design to the products, services,
and policies of the tourism industry at all stages of their lifecycle from conception to retirement and
introduction of a replacement”
There has been a lot of discussion about Universal Design in relation to built infrastructure as a means to a
fully inclusive Tourism Industry. In the main though those discussions are still about access and that in itself
will not necessarily change the underlying culture of the Tourism Industry. The definition above expands the
concept of Universal Design to the services and policies of the Industry. In order to understand how to make
that definition a part of the Tourism Industry Culture it is important to understand the history of accessibility
legislation, how it has affected tourism operations, how the industry is structured and finally where and
when the purchase decisions are made.
Defining accessibility and compliance
The ADA, and the various other Acts around world, forced built
infrastructure to become more accessible by setting standards
for minimum compliance. For the first time rights of access were
enshrined into the building code. We must remember, however,
that those standards were based on the principles of Universal
design, which at their heart were conceived to be innovative.
They were principles to encourage future generations of designers
and operators to think about access, not in terms of the physical
infrastructure, but to think of design in terms of making those
environments inclusive. At its core, true inclusion should just blend in not be a piece of infrastructure
with blue and white disabled signs plastered all over it. 20 years on from the introduction of accessibility
legislation there is a lot of very good accessible infrastructure, but there is still a dearth of information, and
where that information exists is devoid of useful detail to allow people with disabilities to make an informed
travel decision.
The very nature of compliance tends to lead to a real disconnect between those who are designing and
building something to those who are finally operating and marketing it. Compliance with building
regulations etc are all done in the design and building phase. By the time the operators come in to run
any establishment everything is already there. Often the reason for the accessible facilities are not fully
understood and even less understood are the needs of the disabled traveler. Further these facilities are often
regarded as dead money.
The disabled traveller is seen as a problem not a customer.
There are two key issues as to why this culture exists within the Tourism Industry.
The first is that the size of the market is not understood.
In June of 2011, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank released the results of the first ever
global study on disability. The report estimates that more than one billion people experience some form
of disability. Most studies and reports on disability stop there,
however, from an economic point of view the raw data on
disability numbers is not the true figure. Research done in
Australia by Simon Darcy puts the multiplier effect at three when
those directly associated with a person with a disability is taken
into account. Those directly affected are family, friends and work
colleges. If a person with a disability cannot access a business’s
services, like a restaurant, resort or transport then the entire group
cannot access those services. In economic terms over 4 billion

3. © Travability 2012
people worldwide are directly affected by disability which is over one third of the world’s population.
Of more significance is the ageing population and the effect of the retiring Baby Boomer generation.
US research by McKinsey & Company predicts that by 2015, the baby boomer generation will command
almost 60 percent of net U.S. wealth and 40 percent of spending. In many categories, like travel, boomers
will represent over 50 percent of consumption. The impact on the Inclusive Travel sector is significant as
over 40% of them will be retiring with some form of disability, raising the total value of direct expenditure
to the Inclusive Tourism sector to over 25% of the market by 2020.
The second is that “Disability” is seen as a single group.
People with a disability are present in all sectors in roughly the
same proportion as the general population. They are not like the
backpackers, adventure tourists, luxury travelers or the Gay and
Lesbian sector. The common misconception is that the needs of all
people with a disability are the same. In one sense that conception
has been reinforced by the social model of disability which, in
defining the social barriers, has concentrated on a narrow sub
set of physical access requirements largely limited to car parks,
toilets building access and hotel rooms. A disability, in reality is
just a different level of ability. We are not all equal in a number if
ways. Physical ability is just one set in the total capability set of
the human being. If we do take physical ability as the cornerstone of the push for greater accessibility then
we need to put it into context. Looking at the travel industry as a case in point. Travellers vary enormously
in their physical capabilities and their holiday patterns reflect that diversity. Whether that holiday is climbing
a Himalayan peak, walking New Zealand’s, Milford Track, visiting the wine region of the Napa Valley or
relaxing on a Caribbean Island that is a personal choice. The tourism industry is adept at discerning and
catering for those wide ranges of choices, however, we have categorized a disability, through the medical
and now social models as something different and around that built a set of preconceptions that shields it
from a market view.
Disability is often regarded as a homogenous concept. The opposite is true. As with the general population
ability is on a continuum.
The travel industry has evolved to service its market. Hotels and resorts offer a wide range of products and
services, from standard hotel rooms, king size rooms, rooms with different views and prices tags, business
suites, family suites and self catering rooms. The list goes on. These rooms have been developed to service
market demand or at least perceived market demand. Because their existence is customer driven the industry
has developed very specialised and detailed ways to present such information. Each feature is listed in detail
as a selling point for the product. Often rooms further up the price line has its additional features listed only
to entice the up-sell.
Because disability is seen as a “single” category the industry has failed to understand the varying needs of
the disabled traveller and as a consequence failed to develop or market even its existing infrastructure to
service or attract the disabled traveller. While it clearly understands the needs of a business traveller for
a writing desk with internet connectivity and a quiet “executive” breakfast bar it does not appreciate the
need for a wheelchair traveller to know the bed and toilet seat heights or indeed the desire of a business
wheelchair user for that same writing desk to have knee clearance and a power point a metre above the floor.
The same issue manifests itself in operations, again because those needs are not understood housekeeping
staff who reposition furniture moved by the customer often at great effort.
Industry Structure.
Much of the advocacy around Inclusive Tourism has been aimed at the infrastructure owners. The anti
discrimination legislation around the world targets the same group. Those infrastructure providers are hotel
and resort owners, attractions, coach and bus companies, train operators and airlines.
Unfortunately travel and tourism is not sold that way and seldom do individual purchasers put their holidays
together individually on a piece by piece nature. The one exception to that tends to be the disabled traveller,
who is forced to go to the source due to lack of information available through the distribution channels.

4. © Travability 2012
Travel Industry Structure
Infrastructure Owners
Accessible
infrastructure
provided in
compliance with anti
discrimination
legislation. Operators
know of its existence
even if it not seen as
an asset
Wholesalers/Tour Operators Retailers
Wholesalers package accommodation,
transfers, sightseeing, car hire and
airfares.
Tour operators package accommodation,
sightseeing, and coaches into fixed
itineraries tours
Issues are:
Lack of coordination on accessible facilities
Advanced booking
Scheduling of accessible coaches on
accessible itineraries if any exist
Retail industry is fragmented.
Major travel agency chains
Agency buying groups
Group Tour operators
Individual agents
Online Agency Groups
Issues are:
Lack of knowledge of needs of disabled
traveler
Lack of information on facilities
Little if any accessible tour offerings
Restrictions on disabled passengers
Agency Chain preferred agreements limiting
access to niche disablity operators or direct
bookings with operators
Small number of direct purchases Small number of direct purchases Majority of travel sales
The industry has three broad levels and two distinctive types of purchase philosophies. See the following
diagram
We have already stated that there is a disconnect even at the infrastructure owners level because they do not
see the link between the assets they have been “forced” to provide and the emerging market demand. That
issue is exacerbated by the supply chain of the tourism industry.
The wholesalers and tour operators package components to create offerings to the retail sector of the
industry. The very nature of the packaging involves homogenous offerings and block bookings of room
types. Accessible rooms are never included in the blocks and hence never included in wholesaler destination
brochures or included in tour packages. Further tour operators do not market their tours as “Inclusive” do
not block any accessible rooms and do not schedule accessible coaches into their itineraries even though the
rooms exist and the coach equipment is available.
At the retail level the industry is driven by targets and override commissions. All of the major retail
chains, whether company owned or franchised, work on preferred supplier arrangements. Only the major
wholesalers and tour companies can afford the cooperative marketing fees associated with those cooperative
arrangements or the level of override commissions demanded. Disability specialist do not have the resources
to gain entry to the major retailers.
The online market is much the same although in the United States the Expedia case changed the landscape
in at least forcing it to offer booking and search facilities for accessible hotel rooms. It is interesting to note,
however, that only applies within the United States and Expedia does not offer that service outside the US.
The average retail travel consultant has no knowledge of the requirements of the disabled traveller and even
if they do the information is now too far removed from the operators for it to be available. Most disabled
travellers are aware of that and either find specialist agencies or go direct and put their own packages
together. The major change steaming up on the tourism industry is the retiring Baby Boomers, who will
not identify themselves with the disability sector and will expect the facilities and services to be readily

5. © Travability 2012
available through the distribution channels they have used throughout their lives.
Cultural change
The size of the market is significant estimated to already be worth
11% of the total tourism spend and estimated to grow to 25% of the
market by 2020, that is a short 8 years away.
There is significant cultural change needed within the industry. That
change has to occur at all levels but most importantly at the wholesaler
and tour operator level. That section of the industry drives what the
consumer ultimately sees as packaged product, what the retail agents
offer and what training is given to the retail industry. Until such time
as the wholesalers regard Inclusive Tourism as a viable market it will
not be adopted into the mainstream tourism culture. Even the recent
changes to the ADA reporting requirements will not filter into the wholesale brochures unless their is a
concerted effort to build the business case and create awareness of the market size.
It is important to concentrate future awareness efforts not just at the ultimate operators but at the rest of the
industry. Training courses aimed at the resorts as well as accessibility guides on inclusive design will not
change what is offered for sale unless the same economic message is driven through the entire industry.
Inclusive Tourism has been adopted more quickly where it is driven from above as a whole of government
approach. Where it becomes tourism policy for a country, as has recently been evidence with Barbados, or a
tourism region then adoption is rapid as the economic story is sold to the industry as a whole. The economic
message changes perception from a compliance problem to gaining competitive advantage challenge, the
latter will always create innovation in design and customer awareness and service.
Major wholesalers, tour operators and the major retail chains need to get their heads out of the sand and see
the size of the looming Inclusive Tourism market and the value it can potentially add to those players in the
market who get it right.
“In Mexico, before the wheel was invented, gangs of slaves had to carry giant stones through the
jungle and up the mountains, while their children pulled their toys on tiny rollers. The slaves made
the toys, but for centuries failed to make the connection.”
Peter Brook

6. © Travability 2012
Baby Boomer Market Statistics
The Inclusive Tourism Market will be greatly affected by the retirement of the Baby Boomer generation
that began on the 1st January 2011 and will continue for the next 20 years. 40% of those Baby Boomer swill
retire with some for of disability.
1 Baby Boomer turns 65 every 8 seconds for the next 20 years in the US alone!!
Lets do the math!!
7.5 per minute•
10,000 per day•
4,000,000 per year•
Demographic Impact
USA adult population will have grown by 23 million•
between 2006 and 2016.
Ages 18-49 will have grown by one million•
Age 50+ will have grown by 22 million•
Spending Power
70% will inherit $300K average•
Top 8 million $1.5M average•
Total inheritance $8.4 Trillion•
In 2009, households headed by adults ages 65 and older ...•
had 47 times as much net wealth as the typical household
headed by someone under 35 years of age.
The Elephant in the Tourism Room
The Tourism Industry sees itself as a “sexy” industry dominated
by glamour, youth and activity.
“Older people have an image problem. As a culture, we’re conditioned toward youth. .… When we think
of youth, we think ‘energetic and colorful;’ when we think of middle age or ‘mature’, we think ‘tired and
washed out.’ and when we think of ‘old’ or ‘senior,’ we think either ‘exhausted and gray’ or, more likely, we
just don’t think.
The financial numbers are absolutely inarguable — the Market has the money. Yet advertisers
remain astonishingly indifferent to them.”
Marti Barletta, PrimeTime Women
“We are the Aussies. Kiwis, Americans and Canadians. We are the Western Europeans and Japanese. We are
the fastest growing, the biggest, the wealthiest, the boldest, the most (yes) ambitious, the most experimental
and exploratory, the most different, the most indulgent, the most difficult and demanding, the most service
and experience obsessed, the most vigorous, (the least vigorous), the most health conscious, the most
female,the most profoundly important commercial market in the history of the world … and we will be the
Center of your universe our for the next twent twenty-five years ears. We have arrived!”
Tom Peters
Implications for Inclusive Tourism
By 2015, the baby boomer generation will command:
60 percent of net U.S. wealth and•
40 percent of spending.•
In many categories, like travel, boomers will represent over 50 percent of consumption.
The impact on the Inclusive Travel sector is significant as over 40% of them will be retiring with some form
of disability, raising the total value of the Inclusive Tourism sector to over 25% of the market by 2020.