Making holidays joyful for everyone starts with one simple step: honest information about accessibility
There are 16 million Brits living with some form of disability. That’s one in four. Yet two-thirds say they skip holidays because they can’t find suitable accommodation.
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The problem isn’t always a shortage of accessible hotels or holiday lets. It’s because information around accessibility is inconsistent or entirely missing.
Too often, disabled travellers give up because they’ve been burned before. They’ve booked a property described as “wheelchair accessible,” only to discover the living space is upstairs.
They’ve found a cottage that might be perfect, but the listing leaves them guessing from blurry photos with no descriptions. And for travellers with sensory or cognitive needs? Information is almost non-existent.
Information, not infrastructure, is the problem
For most of us, booking an accommodation is the first exciting part of a trip. Yet for those with access needs, it can be incredibly stressful. Will the shower really be step-free?
Will the doorways fit a wheelchair? Will my child with sensory needs feel calm? These uncertainties rob disabled travellers of confidence before they’ve even packed a bag.
Many properties already have accessible features. But unless those features are described clearly, they may as well not exist. They are usually hidden in the background of photos, inaccurately listed, or left out altogether. If this information were made clearer, thousands more properties could already be welcoming disabled guests.
Simply Owners, for example, are working with AccessibleUK to make this possible. We’re training property owners to describe their homes properly on our booking platform, make meaningful adjustments to their properties, and create better guides for inclusive local attractions.
Direct booking can give travellers more confidence
Another barrier to accessible travel is the way large booking platforms operate. Sites like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia deliberately make it difficult for guests to speak directly with hosts.
Phone numbers are masked, chat buttons are buried, and off-platform communication is blocked. For disabled travellers, that’s disastrous.
With the lack of clear information, they regularly need to ask more detailed questions about properties before feeling confident enough to book.
Booking directly with the property owner changes that, whether on their own website or through a listing site. Direct booking platforms, like Simply Owners, let guests pick up the phone, talk to the owner, and get real answers before paying a penny.
This is possible because direct booking platforms don’t take commission fees from guests.
The bigger picture: a £45 billion opportunity
Accessible travel isn’t a niche market. The so-called “Purple Pound” represents £45 billion in global travel spend. Getting accessibility right is both the moral thing to do and a smart business decision.
Clear information means travellers book with confidence, owners fill their calendars, and communities thrive through inclusive tourism.
Every accurate listing removes a barrier. Every clear description opens the door for another family to travel. And platforms should not be able to turn away from responsibility.
It’s time to make holidays feel joyful for everyone.
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Rebecca Ward is the CEO of Simply Owners, which offers thousands of UK holiday rentals with no booking fees
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