Report by Kirsten Bowling
THE UK tourism industry is letting down visually
impaired people by not supplying large print or braille on timetables and
pricing information.
Research carried out by the University of Westminster
revealed more than 50% of hotels, ferry and coach companies are failing to
provide different timetable formats on request.
University of Westminster tourism lecturer Graham Miller
said: “We were shocked by how many companies failed to provide the
information they were required to by law, as part of the 1995 Disabilities
Discrimination Act.”
One third of the hotels contacted were not able to
provide any response for a visually impaired customer and out of those that did
reply, 70% did not have any information in a format that could be used.
“We are hoping that more vigorous
enforcement of the act will see companies reacting to the threat of
punishment,” added Miller.