London must become more accessible if it is to maximise the tourist opportunities of the 2012 Games, said the London Development Agency today.
At an event aimed at encouraging London’s tourism industry to make the most of the business potential provided by the Games, Paralympic swimming champion Chris Holmes, winner of nine gold medals, said:
‘London 2012 offers a once in a generation opportunity to fundamentally address access issues for disabled people. Lose it and not only do we condemn disabled people to continued unnecessary discomfort but we also miss out on showing off London as the ultimate travel destination.’
The London – open to all by 2012 event provided advice and support on how London’s accommodation and tourism industry can profit from better access for people with disabilities and mobility problems.
There are nearly 10 million adults and 700,000 children with disabilities in the UK and a further 10 million people aged over 65, some of whom have mobility and other problems. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission estimates that only about 2.5million disabled people travel regularly due to lack of accessible facilities. Accessibility also matters to those travelling with small children.
Speaking at the Paralympic Games in Beijing last week, the Mayor said:
‘The fantastic achievements of our Paralympic team at the Beijing Games have surpassed the country’s wildest expectations, adding to the pride we all felt watching Team GB reel in their haul of medals last month. They have delivered for us – now we must deliver for them, and for all disabled Londoners and visitors. I want everyone who comes London to enjoy every aspect of their stay, including Paralympians, disabled spectators, and anyone who may have difficulty moving around the capital. That means ensuring a wide choice of accommodation and places to visit during the summer of 2012.
‘So I urge all London businesses, including shops, restaurants and hotels to start thinking now about they can make their goods and services as accessible as possible in time for and to reap the benefits of the 2012 Games. It’s not just about wide doors and ramps in premises - there are a whole range of measures that can be adopted to help people with different disabilities and organisations like the LDA and Visit London are ready and waiting to offer their advice. ‘ Chris Holmes says:
‘It’s simply a question of service. All customers have individual needs. Disabled people are no different in this respect. Meet their needs and you deliver a quality service.’
In addition to Chris Holmes, Steve Mannix from the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) reported back from Beijing and the lessons learnt and opportunities for 2012. Industry leaders from the hotel and tourism sector looked at the needs of travellers and the business case for improved access. The seminar also helped businesses understand the needs of a range of different disabilities: the common perception of disability is wheelchair use but in fact only 4% of those registered disabled use a wheelchair. Improvements can be as simple as a vibrating alarm for the deaf/hearing impaired. The LDA offers business support to help tourism businesses meet the needs of these travellers. For details see www.lda.gov.uk/tourismsupport.
For media enquiries, please contact Rachel Clark at the LDA Media Team on 020 7593 8616; for public enquiries, please call 020 7593 9000; for out of hours media enquiries, please call 07977 439 371.
Notes to Editors
The London Development Agency works to improve quality of life for all Londoners and drive sustainable economic growth.
The LDA is responsible for tourism development in the capital and provides grant funding to Visit London for marketing London as a world-class tourist destination. The visitor economy in London is valued at £15 billion a year.
For further information please contact:
Rachel Clark, Senior Press Officer
Tel: 020 7593 8616 Mob: 07976 065588 rachelclark@lda.gov.uk LDA out of hours: 07977 439371 Public enquiries: 020 7593 9000