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How the travel industry still ignores people with disabilities
As restrictions are gradually lifted , traveling abroad will be a high priority for many people . But for a disabled person , getting away on holiday can seem like a distant dream – with or without a pandemic .
People with disabilities are still subjected to systematic discrimination when it comes to travel . They face barriers that non-disabled people do not , which can prevent them from going on holiday – or at least drastically limit their choice about where to go and what to do .
Even before COVID-19 ,
one survey found that 52 % of adults with a disability in the U . K . had not taken a holiday anywhere in the previous 12 months .
The reasons are well known . Disabled people are often deprived of three key things : good information , appropriate facilities and positive attitudes from other people .
I interviewed disabled travelers and people who work in ecotourism – in the U . K ., U . S ., Australia , Canada and Sweden – it became apparent that many holiday providers fail to value their disabled customers .
There are some for example , who merely aim to comply with regulations . They do not think there is a sufficient market for disabled guests , so they only made practical changes – such as investing in ramps – if the law strictly demanded it .
One disabled traveller told how he mentioned to an ecolodge