Millions of families across the UK are at risk of missing out on a summer holiday abroad due to ongoing concerns around accessibility, new research commissioned by Transreport has revealed.
The study, which surveyed people in the UK with accessibility needs or who have a family member with such needs, found that 64% of respondents may not travel abroad this summer because of access-related barriers.
Almost half (42%) reported avoiding international travel altogether over the past year, citing a lack of confidence in the accessibility provisions offered by airports, airlines, and accommodation providers.
A multi-billion pound gap
The findings expose a major gap in the global travel economy. According to the Purple Pound, 20% of the UK population lives with a disability or accessibility need.
With UK families taking an average of 1.7 holidays per year at an average cost of £4,692, the current level of inaccessibility could be costing the global travel industry over £45 billion annually in lost revenue from UK travellers alone.
The UK’s accessible travel crisis
Transreport’s research paints a bleak picture of the current travel landscape for Disabled people and their families.
Nearly half (47%) of those surveyed said they were choosing to stay at home this summer not out of preference, but because of serious concerns about travelling abroad. These include expensive accessible hotel rooms (58%), unreliable transport links (52%), and the general stress of navigating poorly adapted travel environments (52%).
A major challenge remains the booking process itself. Over two thirds (67%) of respondents said booking flights, transport, and accommodation for people with accessibility requirements was a significant barrier to travel.
More than half (52%) said that finding hotels with adequate provisions was difficult, highlighting the need for a standardised, centralised source of information to streamline accessibility-related bookings.
Aviation and hotels falling short
The aviation sector comes under particular scrutiny, with 40% of those surveyed having avoided flying in the past year. Over half (56%) said airlines are not equipped to support Disabled passengers, while 58% said the same of international airports. Long delays for assistance at airports were the top concern for 51% of respondents.
These insights are reinforced by Transreport’s recent aviation whitepaper, which found that nearly half (48%) of Disabled passengers waited over 30 minutes for assistance when disembarking, and almost one in five (17%) regularly wait more than an hour.
Accommodation remains another key concern. Nearly half (47%) of those surveyed avoided staying in a hotel over the past 12 months due to poor accessibility. A majority (52%) said it is too difficult to find accessible places to stay, while 54% believe that hotels are not adequately equipped to meet their needs.
Urgent action required
The findings point to a growing accessibility crisis within the travel sector, with significant emotional and financial consequences. Transreport is calling for a sector-wide push to make accessible travel the norm, not the exception, and ensure that no family is left behind due to poor infrastructure, untrained staff, or a lack of reliable information.
As millions face another summer without a holiday abroad, the message is clear: the travel industry must act now to build a more inclusive future.
Emma Partlow, Director of Engagement, Transreport, said: “These findings highlight the major barriers experienced by Disabled people and their families when booking and travelling on holiday.
“Travel companies and travel agents have a unique opportunity to go beyond compliance and box-ticking to offer a genuinely equitable experience for everyone. Those who do not risk missing out on a loyal customer base with a collective global spending power of $13 trillion, as evidenced by those deciding to avoid summer travel altogether this year.
“Transreport has supported over eight million accessible journeys and has empowered major travel and transport companies to remove accessibility barriers for their customers, enhance consumer satisfaction, and future-proof their business.
“With outbound UK travel only expected to grow in the coming years, businesses in the hospitality and travel sectors must act fast to break down barriers and drive meaningful change.”
