THE English Tourism Council is urging UKtourism suppliers to ensure they can comply with tough new legislation designed to improve facilities for people with disabilities.
The new regulations, which come into force in October, will make it an offence to offer customers with disabilities an inferior service to that provided to able-bodied customers.
The law is part of the Disability Discrimination Act which was passed in 1995, and is being implemented in stages.
The full effect of the legislation will be felt in 2004 when businesses will have to show they have taken steps to provide equal access to their facilities for all visitors.
Companies in breach of the Act will face prosecution.
ETC head of training and business support Richard Allen said companies involved in tourism should consider sending employees on the ETC’s Welcome All course.
The one-day course, which has so far been completed by 3,400 participants, outlines techniques companies can use to improve the service offered to people with disabilities.
“Most of the people who take part say they leave feeling much more aware of the issues affecting disabled guests and some have taken their knowledge back to their companies and set up their own mini training schemes,” said Allen.
Allen added that improving access for people with disabilities could also make commercial sense for tourism suppliers.
“There is an estimate that if tourism services were made more accessible to people with disabilities it would mean an extra £17bn for the industry each year,” he said.
“Businesses fail to realise that by failing to provide the best service for people with disabilities, they also wave goodbye to the custom of the families and friends of these people.”
Ways companies can improve service for the disabled include providing vibrating ‘wake-up’ pillows to guests with impaired hearing.