‘Luxury must lead the way in accessibility and inclusion’

Richard Thompson said the luxury market has “the shortest distance to travel” in the industry to become inclusive and accessible for all, as it already places such a high emphasis on service, the guest experience and space per guest ratios. Thompson founded IncluTravel in January 2020, which verifies the accessibility and inclusion credentials of travel companies and properties through IncluCare, and offers a booking platform through IncluTel, supported by 360 Private Travel.

Speaking at an Inclucare panel discussion, he said while there are “pockets of excellence” in accessibility in mainstream travel, praising Premier Inn and Travelodge, the rest of the industry had “a lack of understanding and awareness”. He added: “If we can do it in luxury it will cascade down [through the travel industry].”

However Thompson added there was still considerable work for the sector to do. He said IncluCare had audited 280 luxury hotels around the world and found 275 of them didn’t meet their obligations under building codes, adding that the industry was on “very thin ice.”

Explaining what inclusion means, Thompson said: “Inclusion is very different to accessibility. Accessibility is being invited to the party, but inclusion is being asked to dance. [Inclusion] is about the experience when guests are staying with you and means everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy what everyone else is doing.” He said it isn’t just about the built environment and offering disabled rooms, but about ensuring guests can access all areas and are welcomed in all spaces. 

Thompson was previously head of the accessible academy at Travel Counsellors, founded the Good Access Guide and was the managing director of Accessible Travel & Leisure. He said that despite “trying to push the industry on that narrative for 20 years, the concept of accessibility has failed.” However he added: “Inclusion is having a totally different level of traction; it’s about the experience.” 

When asked how big the disabled travel market is, Thompson said it was the “last major untapped market, and will dwarf anything that’s been done in the last 30 or 40 years.” 

He warned: “In 18 months your inclusion credentials had better be as good as your sustainability credentials are now, because stakeholders are going to demand it. The cost of not doing it means ignoring one in six of the world’s population, and it doesn’t make sense. Disabled people stay longer and spend more money. What’s not to like? The global spending power of the community of people impacted by disability is $10 trillion a year.

“Dubai said, ‘build it, and they will come’. We say, make it visible, and they will come. Disabled people don’t think luxury hospitality exists.”

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