Travel Troubles

HIGH street travel agents dont understand disabled holidaymakers needs, says a new tourism report

A survey of disabled travellers, conducted by The Co-operative Travel and UK disabled tourism charity Tourism for All, found that 84 per cent of respondents didn’t believe high street travel agents understood their needs, and that 78 per cent did not think they were catered for by the high street. The survey also found that 93 per cent of disabled travellers found their choice of holidays restricted due to their disability.
Brian Seaman, head of consultancy at Tourism for All, warmly welcomed The Co-operative Travel initiative to provide expert help and advice at branches across the country. “We have conducted independent research in the past by sending disabled travellers on to the high street to find a disabled-friendly holiday to Majorca,” he said. “In every case, not one travel agent was able to offer a product that might have resulted in a booking.
Jane Witherington, commercial and market development manager with The Co-operative Travel Trading Group, said: ”As a consequence we have launched a new tailored service aimed specifically at disabled travellers, and trained staff from 40 branches UK-wide to ensure that they are up-to-speed with all aspects of holidays for people who require specialist travel. In addition, the branches will carry a specialist guide, which contains information such as airport facilities and details of key travel partners in the UK and abroad, alongside other essential information.”
The Co-operative Travel has also ensured that the specialist network of branches is Disability Discrimination Act compliant, with clear access, power assisted doors, portable hearing loops and visual alarms in-store. The company is also aiming to provide training and compliancy across the entire network of 410 branches. For more information contact The Co-operative Travel on 0845 266 9228 or visit:

http://www.co-operativetravel.co.uk/specialist-travel