Make your business accessible
Do you want to extend your season, obtain loyal customers and gain a share of a £15.3 billion market? Find guidance, tools and resources to help you provide access for all.
VisitBritain/Pawel Libera
One in five people in the UK have an impairment, which may affect where they choose to stay or visit. Improving your accessibility benefits all customers and does not always require major or expensive changes – simply providing a free Accessibility Guide for your venue can help you be more inclusive for people with a wide range of visible and hidden impairments.
Top Resources
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How to welcome people with dementia PDF, 2.6MB
Learn how to create a stress-free visit for people living with dementia, from signage to being a Dementia Friend.
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Easy changes to improve your accessibility PDF, 2.2MB
An accessible business can make more money. Learn some quick, cheap and easy ways to make life easier for your disabled customers.
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Create an Accessibility Guide
Use our free online tool to provide potential customers, including disabled people, with important accessibility information about your business.
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What the accessible tourism market is worth
The value of the purple pound - how much disabled tourists spend. Includes volume of trips and breakdown by trip type and visitor impairment.
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How to welcome autistic people PDF, 0.5MB
Get practical tips on welcoming and interacting with customers on the autism spectrum, from providing advance information to low arousal environments.
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Tips for welcoming customers with hearing loss PDF, 5.0MB
Ensure your business is ‘deaf aware’ by aiding communication and ensuring guest safety for people with hearing loss.
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Inclusive tourism – 10 top tips PDF, 0.1MB
Practical ideas to make life easier for disabled customers. Includes tips on health and safety, customer service and providing information.
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How to promote your accessibility
Your guide to marketing to disabled people with case studies and lists of popular channels to reach the accessible tourism market.
Accessible tourism: the business case
There is a compelling business case for making tourism venues and experiences inclusive. People with health conditions & impairments and their travelling companions spend around £15.3 billion on trips in England each year.
People from this market are more likely to take longer trips and are anecdotally very loyal to places that meet their requirements.
What the accessible tourism market is worth
The value of the purple pound - how much disabled tourists spend. Includes volume of trips and breakdown by trip type and visitor impairment.
Untapped demand PDF, 0.7MB
Discover how many people didn’t take a trip in the previous 12 months due to a lack of accessibility and the amount of lost revenue for businesses.
Existing provision for disabled people PDF, 2.7MB
Report on accessibility provision by serviced accommodation in Britain. Including accessible stock and the issues faced by businesses.
How to become more inclusive
Making reasonable adjustments to your facilities and services can make things easier for all your customers. These can be as simple as providing low cost items such as a portable ramp, large print menu or seating at regular intervals, to investing in a Changing Places facility or powered hoists in larger businesses.
Inclusive tourism – 10 top tips PDF, 0.1MB
Practical ideas to make life easier for disabled customers. Includes tips on health and safety, customer service and providing information.
Make your attraction more accessible PDF, 0.1MB
Our top 10 tips for visitor attractions on how to welcome disabled visitors.
Make your hotel more accessible PDF, 0.1MB
Our top 10 tips for hotels on how to welcome disabled guests.
Easy changes to improve your accessibility PDF, 2.2MB
An accessible business can make more money. Learn some quick, cheap and easy ways to make life easier for your disabled customers.
Sandcastle Waterpark
Provide a Changing Places toilet
Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of all people with impairments. Changing Places toilets provide extra equipment and space.
VisitBritain/Simon Winnall
How to welcome people with dementia PDF, 2.6MB
Learn how to create a stress-free visit for people living with dementia, from signage to being a Dementia Friend.
Tips for welcoming people with hearing loss PDF, 5.0MB
Ensure your business is ‘deaf aware’ by aiding communication and ensuring guest safety for customers with hearing loss.
How to welcome autistic people PDF, 0.5MB
Get practical tips on welcoming and interacting with customers on the autism spectrum, from advance information to low arousal spaces.
Accessibility: a guide for pubs
Why accessible pubs are good for business, with tips on cheap and easy changes.
Make your destination more accessible
Destination manager? Create a destination that meets the needs of older and disabled visitors. With quick wins and longer term actions.
Plan an accessible event
Practical guidance to planning an accessible event, including a handy checklist.
Make your music event more accessible
Learn how to make your music event accessible with these DIY access guides from attitude is everything.
Purple Tuesday
Purple Tuesday is a national initiative that helps businesses improve the experience for their disabled customers.
Guidance from the Inclusive Hotels Network
Including guidance on access to hotels for people with hearing loss and the use of hoists in guest accommodation.
Inclusive & accessible guidelines from the WTTC
Guidance from the WTTC on how to improve the experience for disabled travellers, from providing information to making the most of feedback.
Guidance for events venues
Guidance from Vocaleyes on providing accessible services and facilities in theatres, galleries, events venues and museums.
Employing disabled people
Become a disability confident employer
Increase your understanding of disability and learn how to recruit and support disabled people and those with long term health conditions in work.
Inclusive recruitment support
Guidance, case studies and information about how employers can attract, recruit and retain people from a variety of backgrounds.
Business Disability Forum
Members have access to advice and guidance to help support your disabled staff and customers.
Marketing your accessibility
People with accessibility requirements are constantly searching for places to stay and visit that'll meet their individual needs. Make it easier for people to choose your business over others by confidently promoting your accessibility.
VisitBritain/Solstock/Getty Images
How to promote your accessibility
Your guide to marketing to disabled people with case studies and lists of popular channels to reach the accessible tourism market.
Improve your customer engagement
Use Universal Design principles to improve your digital and print marketing for all customers with our Communication Toolkit.
Dos and don'ts of accessible communication
Short tips on how to improve your business communications for disabled people, such as the best fonts to use.
Inclusive communication
How to produce communications that include, accurately portray, and are accessible to disabled people.
Other resources
Find even more resources and details of England's Inclusive Tourism Action Group (EITAG).
More accessibility resources PDF, 0.3MB
Download a complete list of our accessibility guidance and links to useful external resources, including building regulations.
England's Inclusive Tourism Action Group
Find out about England’s Inclusive Tourism Action Group (EITAG) and its work to improve accessible tourism in England.
VisitBritain/Thomas Heaton
North York Moors Accessibility Project
Find out more about the North York Moors Accessibility Project.
Unlock the purple pound
Find out why being inclusive makes great business sense from Barclays, sponsors of the VisitEngland Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award.
National Accessible Scheme review update
An update on the independent National Accessible Scheme review.
