Speaking at TTG’s Fairer Travel Diversity Forum on Monday (8 July), content creator and accessibility consultant Sassy Wyatt said her “number one” issue was lack of representation from the disability community in feedback groups.
She noted how 97% of the internet is not accessible to blind people, which means she is often reliant on sighted people to book her travel.
Wyatt joined autism and ADHD consultant and content creator Eva Bacchoo and Visit England’s accessibility and inclusion lead Ross Calladine for panel discussion, “The power of partnerships: why asking awkward questions is encouraged”.
“My number one thing is we need to bring disabled people to the table," said Wyatt. "Several people have said today they don’t feel like they have the space to speak. We’re in a digital world, but 97% of the internet is not accessible to blind people.
"Most of the time I cannot book my own travel myself. We need to make sure that the digital side of things is inclusive and [firms] need to be open to having feedback. It genuinely is just about asking.”
Wyatt, who became blind as an adult, explained giving feedback to a company did not mean that a specific community felt that that company was “terrible”.
“I appreciate it might feel a little overwhelming,” said Wyatt. “Often firms will say, ‘thanks for your feedback’, but then will say they will not pass it on because they’ve already got people on the case. The real change happens a lot higher up in the company.”
But Bacchoo argued “big firms” were responsive to different communities. “They understand tiny changes for them are big changes for us, she said. “You are never going to get it right unless you ask the question.”
To support her point, she highlighted how an unnamed US hotel chain she had stayed in would allow guests with sensory needs to pick the pillow case material they wanted.
Calladine, meanwhile, pointed out how 63% of serviced accommodation in the UK didn’t properly communicate that they had the right facilities to support people and their differing needs.
“This is about empowering people to be able to make decisions themselves,” he said.
