Why is accessible travel an important focus for TUI?
One of the biggest challenges we hear about is the lack of reliable information. Too often, customers are expected to make important decisions based on vague descriptions or assumptions.
Our partnership with AccessAble has created detailed accessibility guides for more than 300 hotels, based on professional surveys rather than marketing descriptions. These free-to-use guides provide factual information, photographs and measurements, allowing customers to decide for themselves whether a hotel is right for their individual requirements.
Tell me a bit more about your dedicated teams.
One thing that continually stands out to me is the commitment of our colleagues. Accessibility isn’t something that sits with one department at TUI.
Our dedicated Assisted Travel Team plays a particularly important role. They’re specially trained to support customers with a wide range of visible and non-visible disabilities and work closely with colleagues and suppliers to coordinate assistance throughout the journey.
We’ve also invested in accessibility training for thousands of colleagues across the business, helping them feel confident supporting customers and recognising that accessibility is ultimately about people, not processes.
Can you talk us through your neuroinclusive holidays?
This is an area I’m particularly passionate about because accessibility is about so much more than ramps and lifts.
Many disabilities are non-visible, and we want our approach to reflect that. Our neuroinclusive holiday programme was shaped in partnership with TUI’s Neurodiversity Colleague Network, with colleagues with lived experience playing a key role in its development.
At selected TUI BLUE hotels we’ve introduced sensory spaces that provide a calmer environment when guests need time away from busy surroundings. We’ve also invested in specialist training for Kids’ Club colleagues.
Where will you take your accessibility offering next?
We’ve made significant progress, but I genuinely feel we’re only at the beginning of the journey. Our focus is on building on what we know works.
That means expanding our Detailed Access Guides to more hotels and more markets, improving the accessibility information available online, increasing self-service opportunities and continuing to evolve our neuroinclusive offering.
My hope is that TUI continues to help set the standard for inclusive travel, making accessibility a natural part of great customer experience rather than something separate from it. Travel should create memories, confidence, and opportunities for everyone, and we’re committed to playing our part in making that a reality for more people.
