Tui survey reveals one in three people have avoided travel ‘due to accessibility concerns’

A new Tui survey has found nearly a third of people (32%) have avoided travelling due to “accessibility concerns”.

The most common barriers were a lack of sensory-friendly spaces, poorly designed facilities and limited wheelchair access.

The study also revealed two-thirds of the 2,034 respondents (66%) think it is “expected” that people with disabilities will face difficulties when travelling, while more than a quarter (27%) think the UK “doesn’t do enough” to support disabled and neurodivergent people in having equal access to travel.

Inaccessible booking systems, long airport waiting times, inadequate support from airline and hotel staff and unsuitable lifts were cited as problems making access to travel inequal.

Tui said it has committed to improving accessibility across its services and destinations, with enhanced staff training to support travellers with additional needs, improved online accessibility to make booking more inclusive and collaboration with partners, such as its Accessibility Ambassadors, to upgrade accessibility information and hotel facilities in destinations.

The group of Accessibility Ambassadors comprises Becky and Hannah Cheetham, Yasmin and Remy Johal, Lucy Edwards and Tola and Kevin Andu, who have shared their personal experiences of accessible holidays with Tui, which now feature on its dedicated accessibility page with practical tips and reassurances for others considering booking a holiday.

Tui UK & Ireland managing director Neil Swanson said: “Our Accessibility Ambassadors are helping us reimagine what inclusive travel truly looks like.

“Their lived experiences and honest feedback are invaluable in shaping services that work for everyone.

“At Tui, we believe travel should be joyful and accessible; and thanks to our ambassadors, we’re making meaningful strides toward that goal.”

One of the Accessibility Ambassadors Lucy Edwards said: “As I boarded, the crew checked in to see if the accessibility was working well for me, and I loved that they wanted my feedback right away.

“We stayed at the Tui Blue Sensatori Atlantica Aphrodite Hills - my favourite thing was that I could just call reception, and they’d either send a buggy to pick me up or guide me wherever I needed to go.

“Honestly, as soon as I feel like I need another holiday, I’ll be booking with Tui again.”

Tola Andu, another Accessibility Ambassador, said: ’We travelled during the school holidays, so the airport was expectedly busy.

“However, we were able to use the Tui assisted travel check-in and the staff were very helpful. We also got our Sunflower Lanyard from the airport which helped us navigate security easier as we were able to use the special assistance security lane which was faster.

She added: “We stayed at Tui Blue Aura in Ibiza. It is a beautiful resort with an onsite sensory room and waterpark.

“We loved sensory room which was the perfect space to relax after a day of activities. It was a safe space for my autistic son.”