VisitEngland to launch ‘Access for All’ project

Following a successful bid for funding from the European Commission, VisitEngland has announced plans to promote England as a leading destination for accessible tourism. 

The announcement comes as new research by VisitEngland shows the overnight accessible tourism market is now worth £3bn to the England economy, with day visits bringing the figure up to £12.4bn.

According to VisitEngland, over the past four years overnight trips by disabled travellers and their companions have increased by 19% with spend up by 33%.

The ‘Access for All’ project will be funded by a grant of €125,000 from the European Commission, and VisitEngland will partner with seven destinations to develop and promote them to visitors with access needs.

As a part of the project, 56 businesses will be involved in a process to improve their accessibility and informative visitor guides will be created for each destination to help promote local tourism businesses.

VisitEngland will also deliver a national marketing campaign which will go live in late summer or early autumn 2015 to showcase the experiences on offer for visitors with access needs, and encourage more people to take a short break in England.

James Berresford, chief executive of VisitEngland, said: “As the national tourist board, we are committed to ensuring England is a destination that offers a warm welcome for all visitors. The Access for All project is a fantastic opportunity to continue to build England’s reputation as a leader in accessible tourism, and help grow this important and valuable market, now worth £3bn to England’s economy.”

Minister for Tourism, Helen Grant said: “The Access for All project will help disabled people enjoy England’s world beating tourist destinations. The tourism sector is making a significant contribution to economic growth in this country and we want to keep up that momentum by ensuring our destinations are welcoming to all.”