Concerns of people with disabilities in leisure activities - Experiences of people with disabilities along the entire service chain

Summary of this study

Despite the increasing legal focus on improving accessible infrastructure, people with disabilities are still often disadvantaged in the context of travel. To promote inclusive tourism, this research applies self-categorization theory, integrating the experiences of people with disabilities at all stages of the travel process. Using a qualitative research approach, the leisure limitations of people with hearing, visual, learning and mobility disabilities when traveling are examined, from which potential development paths towards holistic inclusive tourism value chains are derived from a multidimensional disability perspective.

The research results show a lack of awareness on the part of industry players regarding the needs of people with disabilities. This is evident in the inaccessibility and lack of reliability of information, the insufficient sensitization of staff and the lack of adequate feedback opportunities. In this context, the study participants develop structural and interpersonal limitations, especially in the phases of travel preparation and during their stay on site. While positive travel experiences lead to an increase in the self-confidence of people with disabilities, negative experiences result in individual limitations, causing travel plans to be rejected due to self-categorization as people with limited opportunities for social inclusion. Both theoretical contributions and practical implications are derived to remedy the deficits along barrier-free tourism value chains.

Findings from this study

• The study shows that there is a lack of awareness of the needs of people with disabilities among stakeholders in the tourism industry.
• People with disabilities have a strong willingness to travel, similar to people without disabilities. They are looking for recreation, quality of life, knowledge enhancement and pleasure.
• A key finding is the lack of accessible information for people with disabilities, which is a significant barrier during the pre-travel phase.
• The self-characterization of people with disabilities is influenced by travel experiences. Structural and interpersonal limitations occur before and during the trip, while intrapersonal limitations often occur afterwards. Positive experiences strengthen self-confidence, negative ones promote insecurity and jeopardize future trips.
• Feedback plays a crucial role in the self-image and future travel readiness of people with disabilities. Unfortunately, the opportunities for feedback are rare and the reactions are often not appreciative.

Publication: Joachim Nigg, Alexander Plaikner, Mike Peters, Marco Haid (2024)