Making your tourism business accessible to all is vital for attracting a wider audience and creating a welcoming environment for visitors with disabilities, older adults, and those with specific needs.
We have created our Access Hub – an online resource designed to provide accessibility information to help people with a wide range of disabilities plan their visits to the National Park.
Investing in accessibility not only improves customer satisfaction but also enhances your business’s reputation. Providing accessible services and facilities at attractions, accommodations, and food and drink establishments ensures compliance with legal standards and helps your business to stand out by embracing inclusivity and accessibility in all aspects of your services.
VisitEngland produced a toolkit designed to help tourism businesses improve their accessibility. This guide includes practical steps and links to essential resources and toolkits that can further assist in making your business more inclusive.
An introduction to this accessible and inclusive tourism toolkit
Section 1: What is accessibility?
Section 2: The benefits of providing an inclusive experience
Section 4: An inclusive welcome
Section 5: Accessible features and facilities
Section 6: Marketing your accessibility
Section 7: Inclusive recruitment and employment
Section 8: Continuing your accessibility journey
Other resources
Purple – Accessible Tourism Hub
Purple is an organisation dedicated to improving the customer experience for disabled visitors. Their resources include advice on improving accessibility across various sectors, including hospitality and tourism.
Disability Confident Employer Scheme
The UK Government’s Disability Confident Scheme helps businesses employ and retain disabled people and improve workplace accessibility.
Access for All in the Yorkshire Dales National Park
There are now two fully accessible public toilets and changing facilities at Grassington National Park Visitor Centre and the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.
There are also dedicated ‘Miles without stiles’ routes, suitable for those in wheelchairs, buggies or even walking dogs who can’t negotiate stiles easily. They are all under 2 miles.