English Tourism Council launches new disabled access standards

antiquity · 07-25-2002, 10:58 PM

ETC launches new disabled access standards
25 Jul 2002Â*Â*07:05

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The English Tourism Council (ETC) has announced new standards for disabled access in the hospitality industry.
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The National Accessible Scheme, launched at the ETC headquarters in London last night, aims to encourage the tourism industry to provide a more accessible environment for the UK's nine million disabled people.
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The new standards, which took two years of research, consultation and piloting, replace standards introduced in 1993. For the first time, the new scheme covers visibility and hearing difficulties as well as mobility impairments.
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Announcing the new standards, tourism minister Kim Howells said: "Customer opinions and expectations have changed radically since the creation of the old accessibility standards. The new National Accessible Scheme is a big step forward in providing disabled tourists with the best possible service."
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He added: "This is a very very competitive market and any industry that ignores it is an industry that does not deserve to be up there with the most important ones."
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Alan Britten, chairman of the ETC, said: "Improving access to tourism accommodation is good for tourists and good for business. In England alone, 2.7 million disabled people regularly travel. Many more are deterred by uncertainty about what they can expect."
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The new standards have been produced in response to the Disability Discrimination Act, which requires tourism providers to take reasonable steps to make their facilities and services accessible to disabled people. The Act comes fully into force in 2004.

Chris Chappell · 07-26-2002, 03:47 PM

Good news. I'm planning a European trip sometime in the next year or so.

Onward and Upward!

07-25-2002, 10:58 PM	#1
antiquity Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 14,540	English Tourism Council launches new disabled access standards ETC launches new disabled access standards 25 Jul 2002ÂÂ07:05 ÂÂ The English Tourism Council (ETC) has announced new standards for disabled access in the hospitality industry. Â* The National Accessible Scheme, launched at the ETC headquarters in London last night, aims to encourage the tourism industry to provide a more accessible environment for the UK's nine million disabled people. Â* The new standards, which took two years of research, consultation and piloting, replace standards introduced in 1993. For the first time, the new scheme covers visibility and hearing difficulties as well as mobility impairments. Â* Announcing the new standards, tourism minister Kim Howells said: "Customer opinions and expectations have changed radically since the creation of the old accessibility standards. The new National Accessible Scheme is a big step forward in providing disabled tourists with the best possible service." Â* He added: "This is a very very competitive market and any industry that ignores it is an industry that does not deserve to be up there with the most important ones." Â* Alan Britten, chairman of the ETC, said: "Improving access to tourism accommodation is good for tourists and good for business. In England alone, 2.7 million disabled people regularly travel. Many more are deterred by uncertainty about what they can expect." Â* The new standards have been produced in response to the Disability Discrimination Act, which requires tourism providers to take reasonable steps to make their facilities and services accessible to disabled people. The Act comes fully into force in 2004.

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07-26-2002, 03:47 PM	#2
Chris Chappell Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 7,035	Good news. I'm planning a European trip sometime in the next year or so. Onward and Upward!