Florida specialist Ocean Holidays has launched an accessibility programme to support travellers with disabilities and their families.
The Essex-based operator has also become a member of the global Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network and released the results of a survey carried out among 1,007 people with a disability.
More than half of respondents (51%) said they find holidays stressful and a third (36%) find them frustrating to plan and book.
One in 10 going avoid leisure travel as they are not confident that their additional needs could be met.
Nine in 10 (90%) experienced problems when booking a trip, such as finding affordable and suitable accommodation (32%); lack of information about support (31%); staff’s lack of knowledge (26%); and hidden fees (25%).
The lack of help or facilities at the airport (33%), and simply getting to the airport in the first place (22%) were among other concerns.
The new accessibility programme has been unveiled after 12 months of research and development and offers a service and resource hub about accessible holidays.
Staff have been trained so they can offer advice about accessible options for holidays in Florida.
Harry Hastings, co-chief executive and co-founder of Ocean Holidays, said: “These findings underline the opportunity the travel industry has to make travel a better experience for the one in five individuals with disabilities in the UK.”
His son Rudy has a rare genetic condition called MCAHS1, with symptoms such as epilepsy and mobility issues.
He continued: “It’s great to see niche holiday operators serving the needs of so many but we also believe that it’s time that more mainstream travel companies step up with a more inclusive approach to supporting people with disabilities, and their families.
“As an industry, we have so much to do to vastly improve the holiday experience for people with disabilities.
“At Ocean Holidays, we are at the start of this journey, and we’ve taken steps to improve the experience across the board. We promise to do our best to provide people with disabilities the support they need to enjoy their dream holiday.”
Paul White, chief executive at Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, said: “The launch of Ocean Holidays’ accessibility programme demonstrates how businesses are starting to take disabilities seriously by reviewing their current offerings and practices.
“As the findings in this research show there is still further to go for the wider travel industry to become fully inclusive for people with disabilities, but this is a positive step in the right direction.”