Accessible Tourism: Needs and Challenges of Travelers with Access Requirements
Tarvainen, Tiina (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052918005
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052918005
Tiivistelmä
Accessible tourism is a concept often discussed and it has become a focus of the tourism industry in recent years. Various studies have shown how accessible services can increase demand and business opportunities in tourism. Some countries have been waking up to this phenomenon faster than others, but overall the accessible services still need developing.
This thesis aimed at discovering the current level of accessibility in the tourism service chain including the booking process, transportation, accommodation, sights, and destinations. It focused on discovering the current needs and challenges of travelers with access requirements and evaluating the current accessibility practices in the tourism industry and providing recommendations for the future. This thesis focused on the customers’ point of view and aimed at highlighting the customer experiences. The thesis thus provides a knowledge base for companies in the tourism operational environment.
The topic of this thesis was studied using quantitative research methods. The target group of the research was Finnish and European travelers who need accessible services when traveling and who have the potential to travel to and in Finland. The research was conducted through an online survey which was sent to the potential respondents through social media groups. The response rate of the study was quite low, but the results seemed to be in line with the previous studies. The survey consisted of five sections; background information, traveling habits, destination choice and accessibility, challenges faced when traveling, and Finland as a destination. The data collected from the survey was analyzed using Excel.
The results showed that although the accessibility of some services had been developed, much work still remains to be done before the needs of travelers with access requirements are met. Due to a lack of standardization, the accessibility of different services was inconsistent or lacking when comparing different destinations, companies, and services. The main challenges faced by the respondents were generally lack of accessibility or accessible information, inadequacy of accessible services provided, and overall difficulty of traveling due to the need for thorough planning before the trip, staff members’ lack of understanding about how to serve customers with different abilities, and the inaccessibil-ity of services and destinations.
Although accessibility still needs much development and commitment from the service providers, accessible services are already available, and some destinations are far ahead of others. Despite of sometimes being inadequate, accessibility had been taken into account on a certain level by the service providers. There is still room for improvement before all disabled people can travel independently, but traveling with a companion is already possible and also makes it possible for people with different impairments to see the world.
This thesis aimed at discovering the current level of accessibility in the tourism service chain including the booking process, transportation, accommodation, sights, and destinations. It focused on discovering the current needs and challenges of travelers with access requirements and evaluating the current accessibility practices in the tourism industry and providing recommendations for the future. This thesis focused on the customers’ point of view and aimed at highlighting the customer experiences. The thesis thus provides a knowledge base for companies in the tourism operational environment.
The topic of this thesis was studied using quantitative research methods. The target group of the research was Finnish and European travelers who need accessible services when traveling and who have the potential to travel to and in Finland. The research was conducted through an online survey which was sent to the potential respondents through social media groups. The response rate of the study was quite low, but the results seemed to be in line with the previous studies. The survey consisted of five sections; background information, traveling habits, destination choice and accessibility, challenges faced when traveling, and Finland as a destination. The data collected from the survey was analyzed using Excel.
The results showed that although the accessibility of some services had been developed, much work still remains to be done before the needs of travelers with access requirements are met. Due to a lack of standardization, the accessibility of different services was inconsistent or lacking when comparing different destinations, companies, and services. The main challenges faced by the respondents were generally lack of accessibility or accessible information, inadequacy of accessible services provided, and overall difficulty of traveling due to the need for thorough planning before the trip, staff members’ lack of understanding about how to serve customers with different abilities, and the inaccessibil-ity of services and destinations.
Although accessibility still needs much development and commitment from the service providers, accessible services are already available, and some destinations are far ahead of others. Despite of sometimes being inadequate, accessibility had been taken into account on a certain level by the service providers. There is still room for improvement before all disabled people can travel independently, but traveling with a companion is already possible and also makes it possible for people with different impairments to see the world.