VisitEngland launches Access for All campaign
VisitEngland has launched its Access for All campaign today (16 September) to help raise awareness of accessible destinations and businesses in England.
The campaign will inform disabled people about accommodation and visitor attractions for day trips and holidays.
Following a successful pilot project with four destinations in 2013-14, VisitEngland secured a grant of €125,000 (£98,000) from the European Commission to expand the initiative.
For the past year VisitEngland has been working with seven local destination partners across the country, to create a series of access guides covering coastal, countryside and city destinations.
Research from VisitEngland showed the value of the overnight accessible tourism market was worth £3b, rising to £12.1b when day visits were taken into account. It found that over the past few years overnight trips by disabled travellers had increased by 19% with spend up by 33%.
A total of 56 businesses will be involved in the project including a mix of accommodation and attractions such as Lincoln Cathedral, Brighton & Hove Buses, Chatsworth House, Turner Contemporary, Hotel La Tour, Vindolanda Roman Fort and Nottingham Belfry.
VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford, said: "The accessible tourism market is worth a sizeable £12.1 billion to the English economy and many tourism businesses are realising that catering for disabled customers is not only a necessity but a wise investment that brings a host of business benefits. Many of the changes businesses make may be small, but combined they contribute significantly to the visitor experience."
Destinations involved and their approximate value of overnight accessible tourism include:
Kent: £60m
Birmingham: £50m
Lincoln: £9m
Northumberland: £65m
Derbyshire: £45m
Nottinghamshire: £30m
Brighton and Hove: £14m
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