%20--%3e%3cg%3e%3cg%20id='Logotype'%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M46.37,250.9L136.63,28.98H0v237.25C0,296.87,21.93,318.83,52.56,318.83v-.03h160.64v-154.45l-156.9,95.23c-5.8,3.71-12.82-2.05-9.94-8.68Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M347.35,104.3c-68.33,0-115.93,44.71-115.93,108.91s47.6,108.9,115.93,108.9,115.93-44.72,115.93-108.9-47.6-108.91-115.93-108.91ZM347.35,255.04c-24.41,0-42.23-17.39-42.23-41.8s17.79-41.83,42.23-41.83,42.23,17.39,42.23,41.83-17.79,41.8-42.23,41.8Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M633.86,118.01c0,3.31-3.71,3.31-7.02,1.66-18.22-9.54-32.29-15.3-53-15.3-56.71,0-95.62,42.66-95.62,108.08s39.32,109.7,93.14,109.7v-.03c21.93,0,35.61-7.02,56.31-19.87,3.71-2.48,8.28-1.66,6.19,3.71l-5.36,12.85h86.51V28.98h-81.15v89.03ZM594.11,255.04c-24.41,0-42.23-17.39-42.23-41.8s17.79-41.83,42.23-41.83,42.23,17.39,42.23,41.83-17.79,41.8-42.23,41.8Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M1406.03,107.65l-23.58,112.61c-1.66,8.68-11.59,9.11-13.65-.4l-24.84-112.22h-94.79c-39.32,0-51.74-11.99-51.74-29.81s10.33-28.15,27.72-28.15c20.27,0,30.64,16.16,32.69,32.29h79.5C1325.35,29.38,1286.43,0,1230.52,0,1168.85,0,1130.32,36.04,1130.32,91.09v16.56h-44.71v67.07h44.71v144.08h81.15v-143.68h70.23l46.53,124.21c3.31,8.28,2.88,17.39-.4,26.1l-28.55,68.73h80.25l120.47-286.51h-93.97Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M886.41,117.98c0,3.31-3.71,3.31-7.02,1.66-19.87-9.94-34.35-15.3-54.65-15.3-60.45,0-93.97,49.29-93.97,107.65,0,64.59,37.26,98.54,87.77,98.54,23.19,0,40.57-7.02,62.1-19.47,5.37-3.31,9.51-.4,7.45,4.57-9.11,20.7-28.55,31.47-59.62,31.47h-83.2v67.07h98.5c72.04,0,123.78-47.63,123.78-114.67V107.65h-81.15v10.33ZM846.67,255.04c-24.41,0-42.23-17.39-42.23-41.8s17.79-41.83,42.23-41.83,42.23,17.39,42.23,41.83-17.79,41.8-42.23,41.8Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23141313'%20d='M1026.35,18.18c-26.1,0-44.71,16.16-44.71,39.35s18.61,39.35,44.71,39.35,44.72-16.16,44.72-39.35-18.62-39.35-44.72-39.35Z'/%3e%3crect%20fill='%23141313'%20x='985.78'%20y='107.65'%20width='81.15'%20height='211.15'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
What is Accessible Tourism?
Accessible tourism refers to the set of practices, designs, and services aimed at making travel and leisure experiences open to everyone. It focuses on removing barriers for individuals with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities, as well as seniors and families with small children.
The core principle is to enable all people to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences with dignity and independence.
Join the Lodgify newsletter
How it works
Accessible tourism is implemented through a combination of physical modifications, informational clarity, and service training. For a vacation rental, this can mean retrofitting a property with features like ramps, roll-in showers, and wider doorways.
Crucially, it also involves providing transparent and detailed information about these features online. Vacation rental website builders, such as Lodgify, allow hosts to create dedicated accessibility pages with photos, floor plans, and specific measurements to help guests book with confidence.
Staff and host training on disability awareness is another key component to ensure a welcoming experience.
Why it matters
Embracing accessible tourism allows property owners to serve a significant and often underserved market segment. This group includes not only people with disabilities but also a growing population of senior travelers, who often travel with family or companions.
Making a property accessible can lead to a competitive advantage, increased occupancy, and a reputation for social responsibility. It broadens a host's potential guest base and taps into a loyal market that actively seeks out verified accessible accommodations.
Examples
- A host of a beachfront cottage installs a permanent ramp for step-free entry and a hard-packed path to the patio, highlighting these features with photos in their online listing to attract guests using wheelchairs.
- A property manager in a historic city creates a detailed 'Accessibility Guide' PDF for their apartments, which includes doorway widths, photos of the bathroom with grab bars, and a list of nearby accessible restaurants and attractions.
- The owner of a mountain chalet invests in a website that meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring that guests with visual impairments who use screen readers can easily browse listings and complete a booking.
- A host partners with a local medical equipment rental company to offer guests the option to rent items like shower chairs or portable hoists for their stay, which they advertise as an available service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between accessible tourism and an accessible rental?+
Does making my vacation rental 'accessible' mean it needs to be fully ADA compliant?+
How can I effectively market my accessible rental property?+
How large is the market for accessible travel?+
Related terms
Accessible Rental
An accessible rental is a short-term lodging property designed or modified to accommodate guests with disabilities, including mobility, sensory, or other…
Guest Persona
A guest persona is a detailed, semi-fictional representation of your ideal guest, based on market research and real data about your existing customers. It…
Listing Description
The listing description is the written text that accompanies photos on a rental platform, detailing a property's features, amenities, and unique selling points…
Family Travel
Family travel refers to tourism involving adults and children, ranging from nuclear families to multi-generational groups. This guest segment is a significant…