In the Spotlight

Report reveals challenges facing disabled people on holidays
The survey highlights some disabled people still miss out on holidays

At the end of 2004 we asked the families and carers about holidays and the results have just been published in the survey titled 'Do you know what we did last summer'. The organisation works with children and adults who face challenges because of deafblindness, sensory impairment, learning or physical disability.

"We wanted to find out what kinds of things the families did during summer and if they took holidays, how straightforward they were to organise"

said Joyce Wilson, Sense Scotland's Depute Director and head of the charity's policy group.

"Most people don't know just how difficult it is for families with disabled children or adults to find places that are accessible. For some families, their circumstances simply do not allow them to take a break at all. One family told us they hadn't had a holiday in decades."

The aim of the project is to highlight what needs to improve, and it gives strong messages to the travel industry about the issues they need to address. What are most disabled people and their families looking for? Perhaps their wishes are best expressed by one of the families who took part in the survey: "In an ideal world there wouldn't be any obstacles to prevent us from going wherever we wanted to."

There were also messages for local authorities. One recurring message was about the lack of respite and short breaks support for families. More support is needed throughout the year, with additional resources made available during peak holiday periods. The families surveyed felt they had fewer choices when planning holidays � simply because they had a disabled son or daughter. Joyce Wilson is clear that the Sense Scotland survey presents a challenge to the travel industry:

"Given the huge numbers of holiday companies and resorts operating throughout Scotland and around the world, it is not unreasonable to expect more to be done in providing accessible holidays. The reality is that choice is very limited for disabled people."

Key messages from survey

• Travel companies must take time to find out what disabled people need from their holiday.
• Disabled people rely on a basic level of accessibility and support to be available, from the start of their journey and throughout their holiday.
• The travel industry should live up to the promises they make to disabled people when they book holidays.

View the survey results online by clicking here.

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