New directions to promote tourism for people with disabilities

(To Quoc) - For people with disabilities, traveling is an exciting experience but also faces many challenges. The British government has recently established a working group to promote a number of projects, promising to bring positive changes in the field of tourism for people with disabilities.

According to National Geographic, travel is a wonderful experience for many people, but for people with disabilities, the journey can become a "nightmare". From lost or damaged wheelchairs, to untrained airline staff, to being treated inappropriately, many disabled people have encountered difficult situations when flying. However, a new UK government task force is giving hope to people with disabilities to have more opportunities to travel.

Airports are required to provide free assistance services to people with disabilities. Photo: YakobchukOlena/Getty Images/iStockphoto.

Journalist Sophie Morgan, who used a wheelchair after a traffic accident in 2003, shared that most disabled people I know have horror stories about their travels. Sophie Morgan founded the organization "Rights on Flights" in 2023, calling for comprehensive reform of how disabled people are treated when traveling by plane.

And one of the things that motivated Morgan to act was that her wheelchair had broken down on a British Airways flight.

Sophie Morgan is not the only passenger who has faced this dilemma. This situation has left many disabled people feeling discriminated against and neglected by the aviation industry.

Efforts to improve

To address this issue, the UK government has set up an "Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group" by the end of 2023. This group includes representatives from major airlines such as Jet2, British Airways, and airports such as Stansted, Glasgow.

The group is led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, a renowned Paralympic athlete. Its main goal is to improve the experience for disabled passengers, from booking to baggage claim.

Some of the issues the group will focus on include: the time it takes to assist disabled passengers, the maintenance of wheelchairs, the quality of service, access to toilets and the ability to provide clear information about passenger rights.

Small steps forward are promising.

Despite the challenges, the travel industry is making positive strides. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) 2023 report found that for the first time since 2020, no airports were rated “poor” for accessibility for people with disabilities.

In addition, several new initiatives are also being implemented, such as the Air4All seating system, which allows wheelchair passengers to sit on the plane without having to move to another seat.

In addition, companies like Inclu Travel are promoting more inclusive travel with special packages for people with disabilities. Hotels and attractions in the Maldives, London and South Africa have received IncluCare Inclusive Travel Standard certification.

Despite the many barriers, efforts from governments, non-profit organizations and tourism businesses around the world are bringing about positive change. Disabled travelers like journalist Sophie Morgan believe that improvements in the aviation industry will not only help people with disabilities have better travel experiences, but also create a truly fair and inclusive tourism industry for everyone./.

Source: https://toquocweb.dev.cnnd.vn/nhung-dinh-huong-moi-thuc-day-du-lich-danh-cho-nguoi-khuet-tat-20250228114301702.htm