Blog: Accessible Tourism - An inclusive approach to accommodation for those with physical disabilities
It would be disingenuous for us to write this blog without the support of our friend and disability advocate Maioro Barton. Maioro was born with spina-bifida, is a wheelchair user, and currently lives in the Mighty Waikato. He works in the disability sector, supporting others living with disabilities, and has been a vocal advocate and regular speaker on accessible topics. Through our discussions he has kindly shared with us his lived experiences and the biggest challenges he encounters as a regular traveller in Aotearoa and abroad.
Despite being known for our visually stunning landscapes and the ‘bucket-list destination’ for many travellers, Aotearoa New Zealand has significant inequities when it comes to accessible tourism.
While Aotearoa New Zealand ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2008, we still lack comprehensive national legislation and cohesive policies which supports broad accessibility. This has put Aotearoa New Zealand behind some of our OECD counterparts that have more robust legal frameworks to advance accessibility for people with disabilities.
Enhancing accessibility here at home is not just a matter of compliance with international standards but a vital step towards creating a society that values and supports all its citizens.
According to our last Disability Survey, 1 in every 4 New Zealanders lives with a form of physical disability. This statistic highlights the pressing need for inclusive tourism infrastructure and experiences for both our residents and visitors alike.
Key to this is a lack of high quality, accessible accommodation in our cities and regions which profoundly affects the tourism experience for people with physical disabilities.
For those who use wheelchairs or require mobility assistance, the challenges can start when booking a stay. Will the accessible room icon on a booking website actually mean the experience will be truly accessible? It most cases, no.
From the time of arrival, is there parking nearby to the room, is there a threshold that's difficult to navigate, stairs into the reception, a reception desk or EFTPOS machine that is a little too high, or a heavy door that's hard to open? Is there swipe card access that is hard to reach?
Once inside the room, simple things can make considerable differences to the stay experience. Is the evacuation process readable from a wheelchair, is the peephole at a lower height, and is there an easily accessible suitcase holder?
Ensuring crockery, glassware, and cutlery are at an easily accessible height can avoid situations where guests can be at risk. Photo: Maioro Barton trying to access glassware in an accessible hotel room.
The bedroom layout is paramount. There should be enough room for a wheelchair to manoeuvre around the bed. Consideration should be also be given to whether there is enough space under the bed for a portable hoist, if the bed itself is easy to move, or equipped with brakes to prevent it from sliding away - during transfers. The height of the bed is another crucial factor; overly high beds can be particularly challenging for those with mobility issues.
The bathroom is often considered the most demanding area. The first challenge can often be a doorway which may prevent wheelchair access, followed by an inability to reach the towel rack and towels. An ideal setup would be a wet-area bathroom with an accessible shower, a fold-down seat, grab rails, and an adjustable shower-head that is already at the appropriate height for the guest.
Ensuring bathroom doors are wide enough and towels can be reached are an essential part of an accessible stay: Photo: Maioro Barton trying to access both the bathroom and towels in an accessible accommodation room
Mirrors, sinks, and soap should all be at accessible heights, and there should be enough space under the sink for a wheelchair to move in if needed. Additional towels should be supplied without a surcharge as they may be needed for keeping a wheelchair or mobility aids dry. Why penalise a guest with a physical disability when the structures have not been designed with their needs in mind?
In the kitchen, a reachable microwave, crockery, glassware, and cutlery and can greatly enhance the experience. As can reachable plug sockets. A large, open rubbish bin rather than anything with a foot pedal ensures easy access for waste disposal.
If a guest is staying with accessible needs, having knowledgeable housekeepers who can prepare the room correctly can help ensure a less-challenging stay.
Mirror placement in accessible rooms and their bathrooms should not be overlooked. Photo: Maioro Barton trying to see in the bathroom mirror in an accessible room
Other important aspects include accessible key return boxes, hotel transfers, and pool changing rooms, if the facility allows. The evacuation process especially in multi-story buildings, must be carefully planned to ensure safe fire evacuation for disabled people - supported by regular staff training.
Despite all these challenges and the fact that many retro-fitted accommodation rooms still don’t meet the basic needs of accessible standards, thankfully there are people who can help us solve the big challenges. Yes, that’s the people who live with physical disabilities. Those with lived experiences.
If you are an accommodation business, when was the last time you famil’d a guest with a physical disability such as a wheelchair or a mobility aid? What was their experience and feedback? What was learnt and changed as a result of that feedback? How was this shared with staff and other guests? What was the best practice that was created as a result?
Addressing these challenges in the tourism sector is not just about enhancing individual experiences but it is also a critical step toward building barrier-free sustainable cities that are accessible to all.
By ensuring we offer accommodation that is truly accessible, we can create inclusive environments that value the 1-in-4 people who live with physical disabilities, and showcase our commitment to building inclusive and sustainable communities.
Ngā mihi nui to our friend Maioro for sharing your experience.
If you need an expert reviewer, disability advocate, or an experienced speaker, you can find him here on Facebook
We acknowledge those with non-physical/non-visible disabilities are not represented in this specific blog. We intend to highlight these challenges in our future blogs.