Title: Understanding the experiences of mobility-disabled tourists

Authors: Karen Yates

Addresses: School of Sport, Leisure and Travel, Researcher, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire England, UK.

Abstract: Much has been written on travel for people with mobility disabilities. Despite the quantity of the writing on wheelchair users and slow walkers and their experiences of travel, disabled travellers remain shadowy figures in existing literature and their voices are rarely heard. Drawing upon qualitative data obtained through attending a major disability event and the use of an online questionnaire, this paper explores the experiences of 55 mobility-disabled tourists. The paper indicates problems still exist relating to access, transport difficulties especially with the use of airlines, lack of facilities like hoists, attitude problems and carer support issues.

Keywords: mobility disabilities; inclusive tourism; access; Disability Discrimination Act (1995); social model of disability; attitude problems; disabled tourists; wheelchair users; slow walkers; tourism policy; transport difficulties; airlines; lack of facilities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2007.015525

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2007 Vol.1 No.2, pp.153 - 166

Published online: 24 Oct 2007 *

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