Category: Travel Agents
Posted by: Richard Thompson
A few days away in one of Europe's major city locations has become the norm for millions of us. No-frills flying has made a break in Barcelona or a mooch around Milan as cheap as a soggy weekend in Skeggy - even cheaper maybe? Almost certainly more 'exotic'. That's fine, but when assured access is a must, organising that hop across to continental Europe (and beyond) just ain't that simple. In fact, organising an accessible city breaks can be, well, a right pain.
Just this week we have received a request from a travel agent struggling to plan a weekend in Dublin for a party of disabled clients. We are talking about Dublin - that English speaking happening place an hour or so away. Amazing isn't it? I am sure the same agent could knock together a tailor-made round the world trip in a fraction of the time it will take to sort this one out!
So what's the problem? Well, there are a few.
1. Hotels that fail to provide information or access to their accessible bedrooms online (or anywhere else for that matter)
2. Tour operators that fail to provide guarantees
3. Limited accessible transport options and difficulty in finding and booking such services
4. Difficulty in finding and booking other services such as wheelchair or scooter rental
In most European and certainly all North American cities all of the above are possible. But until city break tour operators wake up to the opportunities they are missing and deliver genuinely accessible products and 'joined up' services for disabled travellers, travel agents will continue to find city breaks for customers with special requirements a real challenge. For our part, we will do our best to support agents as they strive to create accessible travel opportunities for all.
Just this week we have received a request from a travel agent struggling to plan a weekend in Dublin for a party of disabled clients. We are talking about Dublin - that English speaking happening place an hour or so away. Amazing isn't it? I am sure the same agent could knock together a tailor-made round the world trip in a fraction of the time it will take to sort this one out!
So what's the problem? Well, there are a few.
1. Hotels that fail to provide information or access to their accessible bedrooms online (or anywhere else for that matter)
2. Tour operators that fail to provide guarantees
3. Limited accessible transport options and difficulty in finding and booking such services
4. Difficulty in finding and booking other services such as wheelchair or scooter rental
In most European and certainly all North American cities all of the above are possible. But until city break tour operators wake up to the opportunities they are missing and deliver genuinely accessible products and 'joined up' services for disabled travellers, travel agents will continue to find city breaks for customers with special requirements a real challenge. For our part, we will do our best to support agents as they strive to create accessible travel opportunities for all.
Category: Travel Agents
Posted by: Richard Thompson
Most travellers with specific access needs would, in our experience, prefer to travel with 'mainstream' travel agents and tour operators. They simply do not want to carry any kind of label which marks them out as 'different'. But as long as travel arrangers continue to work on an 'on-request' basis, which fails to guarantee a particular (accessible) accommodation, many potential customers will have little option except to book with a 'disability travel' specialist or, as most do - stay at home! This is an enormous opportunity missed for the travel industry and for travellers who, given the confidence to do so, would make many more journeys than they do. So come on the travel trade - let's work together and make this fabulous world of travel we all love, genuinely accessible to all. Holiday Access Direct is ready to do it's bit!
