New research has revealed the top 10 most accessible cities in the world, as voted for by disabled travellers who have travelled in them.
Based on a global survey of 3,500 tourists with disabilities by the
Valuable 500 – an international collective committed to disability inclusion - the top 10 most accessible destinations are:
- Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Las Vegas (NV)
- London (UK)
- New York (USA)
- Orlando (USA)
- Paris (France)
- Shanghai (China)
- Singapore (Singapore)
- Sydney (Australia)
- Tokyo (Japan)
Respondents rated
the accessibility of each city according to the transport links, proximity
of accommodation to cultural attractions, shops, and restaurants and the
availability of information about accessibility.
The findings are
released as the first phase of wider research by the Valuable 500 to explore
the barriers to travelling for disabled people.
The second phase
of the research, which will explore the causes of these accessibility barriers,
will be released later this month.
The Netherlands
stood out due to its stance on equal rights. Equal treatment is considered so
important that it is enshrined in Article 1 of the Constitution, which forbids
discrimination on any grounds, including disability or chronic illness.
Report author and travel writer, Martin Heng said: “What’s
startling about Las Vegas’ hotels is the sheer number of accessible rooms on
offer. Some, like the Bellagio, offer dozens of accessible rooms, some offer
hundreds – across all price brackets and room types.”
Third on the list is London. VisitEngland launched a study into the value of the purple pound (the
spending power of a disabled person to tourism), which was found to be worth £15.3
billion in 2018. The research has done much to convince destination management
organisations and policymakers the world over of the immense value of this
market segment.
Valuable 500 founder Caroline Casey, said: “Our research
shows that across both the public and private sectors in travel and tourism
industry, these cities consistently score well in the accessibility rankings.
“However, worldwide, tourist boards still aren’t making the
necessary headway to remove the physical and ethical barriers to ensure cities
are truly accessible for all. Accessibility arrangements for people with
disabilities remain an afterthought for the travel and tourism industry - which
is why we’re looking into every aspect of the industry journey for people with
disabilities in the research we have commissioned.”
The full report is available to download here.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
