Accessible Travel Costs: Is the Price Justified?
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In the travel industry, accessibility and affordability rarely align. But why is that? Reducing barriers shouldn’t spike prices, surely?
In this article/opinion piece, I’ll explore some of the ways accessible travel is expensive, the potential reasons why, and what I think can be done to help. I’ll speak from personal experience, as both a wheelchair user and the founder of The World is Accessible, a community where I’ve heard many stories and seen many accessible travel offers.
Despite reports and surveys declaring that 16% of the world’s population experiences ‘significant disability’[1], accessibility and accessible travel are perceived as niche, with premium fees, regardless of whether you’re traveling for business, leisure, or medical reasons.
Are accessible hotel rooms always fairly priced?
It’s reasonable to wonder if hotel owners prefer to place their accessible rooms in high-end tiered rooms, rather than basic or economy rooms. But what are the rules? Let’s examine how things are in the USA, as an example.
Under the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, “Guest rooms required to provide mobility features […] shall be dispersed among the various classes of guest rooms[2]”, but there’s a catch, if a hotel has fewer than 25 rooms, they are only obligated to have one ADA-compliant room, which raises an issue concerning dispersion. Full dispersion is no longer possible, with the 2010 ADA Standards stating that the ADA-compliant room should “reflect the range of options available to other guests as much as possible, prioritizing room type first, then number of beds, and finally amenities”. In practice, this often means placing the accessible room within the hotel’s most common room type, so that disabled guests aren’t limited to a less typical or less desirable option.
Disabled guests may often book a room at a hotel that has cheaper room options that are inaccessible to them. This can be quite limiting for disabled guests on a strict budget.
Sometimes a destination may only have one or two accessible accommodation options. An old colleague of mine, from when I was a Euan’s Guide ambassador in Scotland, frustratingly had to pay £200 ($270) a night to stay in the only Glaswegian hotel that met her needs. Yet there are countless other city centre hotels for under £100, even on weekends.
To answer “Are hotel rooms always fairly priced?” I’d say it all depends on whether you can book a non-accessible room for cheaper than an accessible room, at the same hotel, in which case I believe that the hotel is not pricing their accessible rooms fairly.
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Could the pricing of large multicountry tour companies be disproportionately high?
As mentioned, businesses operating within the accessible travel sector form part of a niche market. But what exactly makes it so niche?
Firstly, just like the general population, not everyone within the 16 percent of the world’s population who identify as having a significant disability is interested in traveling.
Secondly, many individuals with disabilities live at or below the poverty line. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that adults with disabilities earned a median income of $28,438 in 2021, compared to $40,948 for those without disabilities. For someone struggling day to day, even the $165 passport fee may be an out-of-reach luxury.
Thirdly, not every disabled person requires specialised accessible travel. For example, someone managing Crohn’s Disease with medication may be able to travel without any accessibility concerns.
Fourthly, offering an accessible trip of any kind requires specific skills and experience. It is not the same as planning travel for non-disabled people. These additional skills contribute to the overall value of the service and help define the niche.
Finally, I’d like to push back on the idea that travel is a human right. While I fully support people pursuing their travel dreams, I see travel as a privilege, not a universal right. A global perspective shows that many disabled individuals face far more urgent needs. For this reason, I do not believe that a person’s inability to afford a travel service automatically means the provider should lower their prices on the grounds of rights being impeded.
At this point, it is fair to say that higher prices are often necessary for these businesses to remain viable due to the smaller market segment they serve. But when is expensive too expensive?
Maybe the answer is “never.” Still, it is difficult to ignore the fact that some large, well-known tour operators charge prices that seem excessive. This is not just a feeling. There are many cases where accessible group trips cost more than double the price of highly comparable non-disabled tours. While I firmly believe accessible travel providers are justified in charging more, doubling the cost raises questions. In these cases, the label “accessible” can push the trip into the territory of luxury travel.
It is also worth noting that some of these same tours are often heavily discounted during major sales events like Black Friday. This suggests there may be significant profit margins built into the standard pricing, which adds another layer to the pricing conversation. Though I appreciate also that these operators selling group trips need to ‘bake in’ the fact that a trip might not sell out, raising the overall price per person.
On one accessible group trip I researched, the package price included attraction entry fees. Yet a quick Google search revealed that those attractions are free for disabled visitors as standard.
Shaping Perceptions, Shaping the Market
I believe there should be greater transparency when influencers are paid to promote a group trip under their name, but they will not be attending. While this is often mentioned somewhere, it is usually not clear. For those not reading carefully, the influencer’s name in the marketing title, along with their imagery, can easily lead to the assumption that you are paying a premium to travel with them in person.
We are increasingly seeing large tour operators partner with smaller, local companies within specific countries. While this can be a positive development for the local operators, the umbrella model can also lead to a kind of monopolisation. In such cases, the larger company retains pricing power and operates with little competition. As a result, disabled consumers may find themselves facing fewer options and higher prices.
What about miscellaneous expenses?
Life is often disproportionately expensive for disabled people, which, when considered alongside the previously mentioned lower average incomes, feels unironically cruel.
In an article I wrote for Starling Bank, I explored some of the extra costs disabled people face when taking routine domestic trips. One major expense is hiring personal care assistants, something we haven’t even addressed yet in the context of high-priced accessible group trips. These tours often charge significantly more for a private room, and if your care assistant also needs a private room, your costs can skyrocket.
Two spots on a group tour, two single-occupancy surcharges, plus flights, meals, travel insurance, tips… and that’s before you even factor in your assistant’s wages. A week-long trip to Europe can quickly approach $20,000, all shouldered by one disabled traveler.
Then there are the medical supplies, mobility aids, and essential equipment like Hoyer lifts, shower seats, and commodes. Each item adds to an already overwhelming bill.
Recommendations
When possible, hotels with only one accessible room should aim to price it equal to the lowest priced room at that hotel.
If a disabled person has hired help who needs a private room, major hotel chains should consider offering this additional room either free of charge or at a discounted rate. Many airlines are already offering similar deals with discounted tickets for care assistants.
Regarding tour operators, consider opening up your services to the entire travel market, not just those seeking accessible travel. You can prioritise accessible travel, whilst generating income through additional tours. The potential increase in revenue could help to reduce costs for future disabled guests.
As for consumers, take into consideration that while large tour operators may feel more secure, there are alternative options, such as smaller, localized tour companies, many of which work with the larger operators. We have a growing list of localised tour operators on our site, helping you cut out the middleman.
Conclusion
I began writing this article expecting to finish with the same mindset: that the accessible travel industry was profiting off of disabled folks having limited options. And whilst I do believe some larger companies are charging obscene amounts of money, the industry in general is unavoidably niche and therefore sets prices that reflect the smaller market segment.
I also now fully understand that there’s significant value to be attributed to ‘peace of mind’ that these companies and their packages bring for disabled tourists.
As consumers, we must recognize our choices and understand when a price is excessively high. Ask yourself: how many stakeholders, agencies, or middlemen are taking a cut of my fee? And if, once fully aware, an individual has both the means and the desire to book that expensive trip, then surely they can.
As a community, it’s crucial to engage in these conversations; otherwise, the status quo prevails and no change occurs.
This article reflects the author’s personal opinions and experiences. All generalizations are based on public information or shared anecdotes, and no business is named or intentionally implied.
Sources
[1] World Health Organization. (2023, March 7). Disability and health.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health
[2] U.S. Department of Justice. (2010, September 15). 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design: §224.5 Dispersion.
https://archive.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAStandards.pdf
[3] Pew Research Center. (2023, July 24). 8 facts about Americans with disabilities.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/24/8-facts-about-americans-with-disabilities/
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8 thoughts on “Accessible Travel Costs: Is the Price Justified?”
totally agree add ‘ASSISTANCE ” OR ” DISABLED ” To anything and the price hikes ….you name it cruises , transfers , hotel rooms , disability equipment hire … a scooter to hire for a week in USA was £1000 !!!! as a disabled person you have to learn to out smart them …. I bought a second hand scooter and took it with me on flights cost £500 and use it every time !
That’s really awesome that you were able to purchase a second-hand scooter for literally half the price you would have paid to rent for one just a week in the USA. It’s nuts that it would have been so expensive. Absolutely nuts. Daylight robbery, in fact, when you consider how much a scooter actually costs to buy. Imagine if they had renters every single week? That’s some serious cash.
I have never seen where any airlines offer discounted tickets for care assistants. I can’t find anything in your footnotes. More info please?
Hi there, I included a hyperlink in the article, but here’s one from Qantas: https://www.qantas.com/br/en/travel-info/specific-needs/travelling-with-specific-needs/travelling-with-a-carer.html
Josh from Accessible Japan also told me that some domestic airlines in Japan offer similar.
I hope more airlines might follow the trend!
Yes, both ANA and JAL (and likely others) offer a discount for PWD and one companion on domestic flights in Japan.
Great topic being review!
I m trying to organise a trip with my husband through France, Switzerland and Italy: and while in France we always book a Campanile Hotel which always have accessible rooms, that cannot be said about Italy and Switzerland! A nightmare to find hotels with truly accessible accommodation! 1/5 if at all!! What a big problem!
Sorry to hear about your difficulties in finding appropriate accommodation for you and your husband. Please feel free to reach out via our contact form if you need any complimentary help!
Interesting ideas, but I think accessible tour companies profit margins are unlikely to come down, until there are more providers, and therefore more competition, in the accessible travel market. And that is unlikely to happen until there are more disabled people traveling (ie more demand), which won’t significantly increase whilst prices remain artificially high. It’s a bit of a ‘chicken and egg’ situation; which comes first.
Change will happen, but very slowly.