United Kingdom Supercharges a New Era of Inclusive Travel as ABTA Unveils Groundbreaking Accessible and Assisted Travel Guide That Could Transform Tourism for Millions of Disabled Travellers and Unlock Major Business Growth Across the Industry

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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July 23, 2026 4:23 PM

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ABTA has introduced a comprehensive Accessible and Assisted Travel Guide to help its members improve services for disabled travellers, promote inclusive tourism, enhance customer experiences and create stronger commercial opportunities while supporting accessible travel across every stage of the journey.

The UK travel industry has taken another significant step towards creating a more inclusive future after ABTA launched its new Accessible and Assisted Travel Guide for members, providing detailed practical advice that enables travel businesses to better support disabled customers, their companions and anyone requiring additional assistance throughout every stage of their journey. The initiative reinforces the organisation’s long-term commitment to making travel and tourism more accessible while encouraging businesses to improve customer experiences, comply with legal obligations and unlock new commercial opportunities within an increasingly important market.

The newly released guidance represents the second phase of ABTA’s broader accessibility programme and follows the publication of consumer guidance and an accessibility checklist earlier this year, demonstrating the association’s continued investment in improving inclusive travel across the industry. Working alongside government bodies, destinations, regulators and industry partners, ABTA aims to strengthen accessibility throughout the complete tourism ecosystem by considering every customer touchpoint from planning and booking through to transport, accommodation, excursions and the return journey home.

Why Has ABTA Introduced This New Accessibility Guide?

The new publication has been developed to help member organisations understand how accessibility should be embedded throughout every aspect of customer service rather than treated as a standalone requirement or afterthought. It offers practical recommendations that help businesses communicate more effectively with customers while working closely with accommodation providers, cruise operators, airlines, transport companies and destination partners to ensure holiday arrangements genuinely meet individual accessibility requirements.

The guidance recognises that accessible travel extends beyond physical mobility and addresses the diverse needs of customers with visible disabilities, non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity, sensory impairments and other access requirements. By encouraging proactive conversations before departure, businesses can identify customer needs earlier and create personalised tourism experiences that reduce uncertainty while increasing traveller confidence.

Addressing Barriers Across the Entire Travel Experience

One of the guide’s central themes is removing barriers that prevent people from enjoying seamless travel experiences, whether those barriers exist in airports, transport systems, accommodation or tourist attractions. Examples include inaccessible buildings without lifts, crowded public environments lacking quiet spaces for neurodiverse travellers and insufficient staff training that can unintentionally create obstacles for customers requiring additional support.

ABTA also distinguishes between accessibility and assisted travel, explaining that accessibility focuses on removing barriers while assisted travel involves providing practical support where required, including booking assistance, airport mobility services and personalised customer care. Together, these approaches aim to ensure every traveller enjoys greater independence, dignity and confidence throughout their journey.

Supporting Businesses While Improving Customer Experience

The new guide provides members with practical advice on improving accessible marketing materials, developing user-friendly websites, presenting clear legal information and strengthening communication throughout the booking process. It also encourages organisations to collaborate closely with suppliers across the entire supply chain to create consistent accessibility standards that improve the overall customer journey.

Beyond customer satisfaction, ABTA highlights that investing in accessible tourism makes sound commercial sense because inclusive services can generate repeat bookings, stronger customer loyalty, positive recommendations and access to growing market segments. As populations age and awareness of accessibility continues to increase, businesses embracing inclusive travel practices are likely to strengthen their long-term competitiveness.

Next Phase Will Expand Accessibility Across Destinations

ABTA has confirmed that the accessibility programme will continue evolving through additional guidance specifically designed for suppliers operating within destinations, including hotels, transport operators and destination management companies. The forthcoming publication will also incorporate health and safety recommendations to help businesses integrate accessibility considerations into broader operational risk management processes.

Susan Deer, Director of Industry Relations at ABTA, said the organisation wants everyone to travel with confidence and believes accessibility represents both an ethical responsibility and a commercial opportunity. She emphasised that clear information, informed conversations and practical guidance can significantly improve customer experiences while helping members deliver excellent service throughout every stage of the travel journey.

Steve Wilson, Accessibility & Assisted Travel Manager at Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, who collaborated on developing the guidance, highlighted that accessibility is fundamentally about ensuring every individual can travel confidently, independently and with dignity. He added that listening to people with lived experience and removing barriers enables the industry to create genuinely inclusive tourism experiences for everyone.

“ABTA’s latest Accessible and Assisted Travel Guide represents far more than a practical industry resource because it reflects a meaningful shift towards making global travel genuinely inclusive for every traveller. By encouraging businesses to improve communication, remove barriers and collaborate across the supply chain, the guide creates lasting value for both customers and the wider tourism sector. Accessibility should never be viewed as an optional service but as a core element of modern travel excellence. This initiative demonstrates that commercial growth, responsible tourism and exceptional customer experiences can successfully progress together while setting stronger standards for the future of the global travel industry.” — Vedika Keshan, Associate Editor, Travel And Tour World

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ABTA’s new Accessible and Assisted Travel Guide?

It is a practical guide designed to help ABTA members improve accessibility, customer support and inclusive travel services for disabled travellers and those requiring additional assistance.

Who is the guide intended for?

The guidance is primarily aimed at ABTA member businesses, including tour operators, travel agents and companies working with accommodation, transport and destination partners.

Why is accessible travel important?

Accessible travel enables more people to enjoy holidays confidently while helping businesses improve customer satisfaction, meet legal responsibilities and expand commercial opportunities.

What does the guide cover?

It includes accessibility planning, assisted travel, customer communication, marketing, accessible websites, supplier collaboration, accommodation, transport and the complete holiday journey.

What happens next?

ABTA plans to publish additional accessibility guidance for hotels, transport providers and destination management companies, including health and safety recommendations.