Assessment of accessibility in Hotelli Verso: perspective of a wheelchair user
Niittylä, Susanna (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024050810207
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024050810207
Tiivistelmä
The benefits of accessible tourism are still not well recognized in the hotel industry. The demand for quality
accessible services however exists and there is a lot of room for improvement in accessible services. Realizing that accessibility is a matter of both human rights and a possibility for increased profits would help improving the industry. The topic was decided based on this knowledge gap in the industry and together with
the commissioner, Hotelli Verso, which recently renovated their accessible rooms.
The goal was to research how customers using wheelchair experience the accessibility of Hotelli Verso and
if there are issues to develop. The research was carried out by using interviewing and observing as research
methods. Four people using manual or electric wheelchair stayed for one night in Hotelli Verso observing
its accessibility. After their stay, they were interviewed, and the most crucial observations were gone
through and visualized by the researcher. The results were analyzed by using content analysis.
The results gave diverse insight of the accessibility of Hotelli Verso from wheelchair users’ point of view.
Hotelli Verso can benefit from the results by realizing their already existing potential and improving issues
mentioned by the participants. Consequently, they will gain a new, loyal customer group and a big competitive advantage.
accessible services however exists and there is a lot of room for improvement in accessible services. Realizing that accessibility is a matter of both human rights and a possibility for increased profits would help improving the industry. The topic was decided based on this knowledge gap in the industry and together with
the commissioner, Hotelli Verso, which recently renovated their accessible rooms.
The goal was to research how customers using wheelchair experience the accessibility of Hotelli Verso and
if there are issues to develop. The research was carried out by using interviewing and observing as research
methods. Four people using manual or electric wheelchair stayed for one night in Hotelli Verso observing
its accessibility. After their stay, they were interviewed, and the most crucial observations were gone
through and visualized by the researcher. The results were analyzed by using content analysis.
The results gave diverse insight of the accessibility of Hotelli Verso from wheelchair users’ point of view.
Hotelli Verso can benefit from the results by realizing their already existing potential and improving issues
mentioned by the participants. Consequently, they will gain a new, loyal customer group and a big competitive advantage.