Title: Online reviews on accessibility: the case of 5-star hotels in Turkiye

Authors: Ozan Çatir; Nalan R. Ayvazoğlu

Addresses: Tourism and Travel Services Department, Ulubey Vocational School, Uşak University, 38000, Türkiye ' Faculty of Education, Department of Special Education, Mugla Sıtkı Koçman University, 48000 Kötekli/Muğla, Türkiye

Abstract: With the increasing implementation of structural and legal accessibility regulations in buildings, including hotels, many countries are seeing more establishments prioritising accessibility and providing services to accommodate guests with disabilities. Thus, this study aimed to examine the online comments of people with disabilities regarding the facilities and services offered by hotel businesses. Data were gathered by analysing the reviews of people with disabilities who had experienced the services of five -star hotels in Türkiye. Four primary themes emerged from the study; accessibility of the rooms and common areas, services provided by the hotel, transportation to the hotel and surroundings, and attentiveness of the staff. As a result, despite improvements, there are still significant accessibility issues that need to be addressed to ensure that people with disabilities can fully enjoy their hotel experience in the tourism sector.

Keywords: accessibility; disabled guests; five-star hotels; Türkiye; hotel services; common areas; transportation; staff attentiveness; review analysis; tourism sector.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2025.144177

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2025 Vol.15 No.1, pp.19 - 32

Received: 03 Apr 2024
Accepted: 03 Jun 2024
Published online: 30 Jan 2025 *

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