London is missing out on valuable tourism business because it is failing
to make facilities more accessible, new research has found.
Research carried out by the London Development Agency (LDA) found that
London’s tourist businesses need to improve customer service and respond
to the needs of disabled customers, the elderly and families with young
children.
Entitled ‘Improving Accessibility for London’s Visitor Economy’, the
report was launched at a conference in London on October 13th ,
attended by leading figures in the capital’s tourism industry.
The research found that despite significant progress in London’s tourism
sector over the last ten years, entrepreneurs are not taking advantage
of a large number of potential customers.
There are over 10 million disabled people in the UK with an estimated £6
billion to spend on leisure products and services. Small businesses are
being urged to accommodate Europe’s elderly and disabled population,
which represent a growing market for leisure travel.
Businesses must also be aware of the Disability Discrimination Act,
which came into force this month, requiring businesses to make
‘reasonable changes’ to allow access for disabled staff and customers.
Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: “I am committed to ensuring tat
London is a city that is truly accessible for all.
“This will not only improve the quality the quality of the environment
for people who live here and boost our reputation as one of the world’s
global cities, it also makes commercial sense.”
As London campaigns to host the Olympic games in 2012, it is vital that
the capital is seen as a venue open to all, the conference heard.
Livingstone went on: “If London stages the Olympic and Paralympic Games
in 2012 we will ensure they are the most accessible games ever with a
barrier free athletes village, a compact venue strategy, and a legacy of
accessible transport infrastructure that will benefit generations to come.”
Keynote speakers at the conference included Bob Minnick of the Disney
Corporation and the BBC’s disability correspondent Peter White who
reported back on lessons learned from the Paralympic Games in Athens.
Disney World in Florida was cited as an example of good practise and has
won numerous awards for accessibility.