High street travel agents 'failing to cater for disabled people'

9th March 2010

There is a belief among many disabled people that high street travel agents do not cater for their needs.

This is according to new research from The Co-operative Travel, which found that 78 per cent of those polled were of this belief.

In addition, 84 per cent claimed that such firms did not understand the requirements of disabled people, while 93 per cent found their choice of vacation to be restricted.

Responding to the findings, Brian Seaman, head of consultancy at Tourism for All, said: "The problem is that very few agents have knowledge of the issues facing disabled travellers and this ... means that they have been unable to offer meaningful advice."

The Co-operative Travel - which operates a network of more than 400 travel agencies and is a member of the Employers' Forum on Disability - has launched a new service aimed specifically at disabled holidaymakers.

As part of the new offering, staff in 40 branches have been trained to ensure they have the relevant knowledge concerning aspects of holidays for people who require specialist travel.

Also, a guide will be available in the branches containing information for disabled people going on a break.