What criteria do travelers with disabilities use to select a destination? This is crucial for cities as they try to capitalize on the sizable and expanding accessible travel market, not just for those of us with disabilities.

In the UK, the so-called “purple pound” (disabled people’s purchasing power) was projected to be worth £15.3 billion in 2018. In contrast, in the US, 27 million travelers with disabilities made 81 million trips and spent $58.7 billion (£45.8 billion) in 2018. The financial case for not excluding the 1.3 billion individuals living with disabilities, or one-sixth of mankind, has grown stronger as tourism rebounds from the effects of Covid-19.

This subject was addressed in depth in a study conducted by the Valuable 500 of 3,500 PWD in the US, UK, Australia, China, and Japan on their travel behaviors and experiences. In addition to highlighting the obstacles that persons with disabilities (PWD) face when traveling, the 2022 poll asked participants to suggest the places they felt were the most accessible and to explain why. From this list of 10, the top 10 cities were created.

ADVERTISEMENT

The collected information offers a clear insight of what draws impaired travelers to a location, from the variety of accessible lodging to the availability of accessibility information. Here, we examine four of the top cities, outlining what makes each one a great destination for people with disabilities (PWD) while also providing extra insights from informed locals and tourists.

Accessible public transportation in Singapore makes it simple for wheelchair users to move around the city. Calvin Chan Wai Meng/Getty Images is to be credited.
Accessible public transportation in Singapore makes it simple for wheelchair users to move around the city. Calvin Chan Wai Meng/Getty Images is to be credited.

Singapore

Compared to much of Asia, Singapore has long been a popular tourism destination because of its great utilities and infrastructure, as well as the fact that English is the primary language. However, the great level of accessibility is what appeals to impaired travelers the most.

The query is not, “What is accessible?” in Singapore. instead, “What isn’t?”

The fact that Singapore’s public transportation is easily available and makes moving around the city simple led the majority of survey participants to pick it. Level access is available to every carriage on Singapore’s MRT, which gives wheelchair users and those with other mobility impairments both independence and dignity.

Additionally, more than 85% of public buses are wheelchair accessible, and more than 95% of pedestrian pathways, taxi stands, and bus shelters are accessible to those with a range of impairments.

with moved from Mumbai to Singapore eight years ago, Nilesh Joshi says, “For someone like me, having mobility challenges but not [using] a wheelchair, the city offers huge convenience and allows me to independently move around using public transport and enjoy public amenities.”

Public transportation passengers who are deaf or have hearing impairments are also well-served; for example, Adrian Yap, a deaf citizen, noted that “Whenever there is any announcement on the trains, we can see the instructions written on the screen.” Yap further emphasized the significance of training in disability awareness by saying that “train officers are well trained to communicate with deaf people.”

Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is totally accessible for wheelchair users. (Credit: Bruno Morandi and Tuul/Getty Images)
Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is totally accessible for wheelchair users. (Credit: Bruno Morandi and Tuul/Getty Images)

However, the majority of poll respondents cited receiving compassionate and respectful treatment as being more important than physical accessibility. Joshi reiterated this perspective when he added, “While infrastructure and government spending is one thing, another important component that significantly affects the lives of mobility-impaired people in Singapore is their people and their culture. They make a significant impact in how PWD feel welcomed and cared for because they are consistently friendly, welcoming, helpful, and soft-spoken.

The Gardens by the Bay complex of horticultural exhibits, one of Singapore’s top tourist destinations, is completely wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair rentals are available for just $2 per day and there is a free shuttle service for wheelchair users, which demonstrates the rising relevance of intergenerational travel, especially in Asian communities.

The National Gallery, which was created by combining the former Supreme Court and City Hall from the colonial era, is the city’s newest significant attraction and a marvel of accessibility. Visitors can plan their visit and get information on the accessibility of certain exhibitions or events thanks to the detailed, downloadable access guide that was created in collaboration with the Disabled People’s Association of Singapore.

Los Angeles

Las Vegas depends heavily on the tourist economy, which includes not only tourism but also the incredibly lucrative MICE business. In comparison to the national average of 6%, tourism contributes 20% of Las Vegas’ GDP and 30% of its employment.

Amazingly, it’s home to 14 of the top 25 hotels in the world, and according to well-known wheelchair blogger John Morris, who runs the extremely helpful wheelchairtravel.org and travels to the city three or four times a year, “The city has one of the highest concentrations of accessible hotel rooms and suites in the world, with hoteliers eager to attract the disability dollar,” “The city has one of the highest concentrations of accessible hotel rooms and suites.”

One of the world’s largest densities of hotel rooms with access is found in Las Vegas (Credit: Westend61/Getty Images).
One of the world’s largest densities of hotel rooms with access is found in Las Vegas (Credit: Westend61/Getty Images).

This is a large number considering that 61 million adults (or one in four) in the US live with a disability.

To help customers with disabilities and ensure that the hotel doesn’t violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in this litigious nation, many Las Vegas hotels employ an ADA specialist on staff.

Las Vegas received nominations from over 60% of US respondents to the Valuable 500 poll for its large range of accessible lodging, and from nearly 50% for the lodging’s closeness to activities. The city’s enormous resorts, as Morris said, “can meet every need, with accommodations, dining, spas and entertainment all under one roof.”

Wheelchair users and tourists with other disabilities are well-served by casinos and showrooms, which have staff who are trained to help those with vision and hearing problems at the gaming tables and craps dealers who will place bets for those who require assistance. Bingo can be played with Braille, cards with large print, or even computerized devices. Even free gaming courses with sign language interpreters are provided by some hotels.

The High Roller Ferris Wheel, the tallest observation wheel in the world, hot-air ballooning, and the SlotZilla Zip Line and Zoomline, which Morris evaluated, are among the other top attractions in the city that are also easily accessible. Even go karting can be done using hand controls. The Fremont Street Experience and the Fountains of Bellagio are two of the most well-known Las Vegas attractions, and both are open to the public and cost nothing.

The Sydney Opera House provides a variety of accessibility services, concerts, and PWD-specific initiatives. (Credit: Getty Images/Airphoto Australia)
The Sydney Opera House provides a variety of accessibility services, concerts, and PWD-specific initiatives. (Credit: Getty Images/Airphoto Australia)

Sydney

Julie Jones, editor of Travel Without Limits, the world’s first print publication devoted to accessible travel, and administrator of the Accessible Sydney Facebook community, praise the accessibility of the Australian metropolis. They “love exploring Sydney and find it to be a wonderfully accessible city,” she said of her wheelchair-using son Braeden.

Most of Sydney’s historic National Trust houses as well as the bulk of its top attractions are wheelchair accessible. The renowned Sydney Opera House offers a variety of accommodations, including accessible performances, access programs, and specially designed mobility excursions. And four years ago, the Harbour Bridge finally had elevators constructed after years of advocacy.

It’s a treat to be able to stroll or roll by some of the city’s best views.
The majority of the public transportation system, including our Sydney ferries, which provide the best views of our stunning harbor, is handicap accessible, according to Jones. Kilometers of flat, accessible paths encircle the waterfront, connecting Darling waterfront and beyond to the Opera House. It’s a treat to be able to stroll or roll by some of the city’s best views.

Jones’ experiences mirror those of the poll participants, who gave the city excellent marks for its open transportation options. The city’s public transportation system, which consists of trains, buses, ferries, and light rail (trams), is virtually completely accessible, though drivers’ help is frequently needed.

Since staff members are now taught to identify and assist passengers wearing the hidden disability lanyard, our Sydney rail network has recently become more accessible to persons with hidden impairments, according to Jones.

The boats in Sydney are convenient and a great way to see the city. (Photo by Deejpilot via Getty Images)
The ferries in Sydney are easily accessible and a great way to see the city (Credit: Deejpilot/Getty Images)

Visitors with vision impairments will also benefit from the Legible Sydney Wayfinding System, which uses more than 2,100 tactile (for touch-reading) and Braille street signs, information pylons, and digital technology, as well as wide, well-maintained pavements with plenty of tactile ground surface indicators.

Sydney also did well in the provision of accessibility information, which is essential for PWD to plan their travel. In addition to the accessible page for Transport New South Wales, the city of Sydney also has a website called Accessible Sydney that is jam-packed with helpful information and is organized by theme, including museums and galleries, history and heritage, outdoors and wildlife, bucket-list attractions, and getting around.

London

The poll found that 57% of respondents chose London because of its accessible transportation options, and nearly half said they chose the city because its cultural attractions had excellent accessibility support and amenities. Accessibility has received special attention from many important museums and galleries, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, and the Natural History Museum.

PWD can find a ton of information to help them plan vacations and day trips. AccessAble’s professionally verified, searchable database of comprehensive access guides to attractions, hotels, shops, and restaurants, among other locations, is accessible through Visit London’s Accessible London page.

Step-free access is available in about one-third of London’s Tube stations and half of its overground stations. (Credit: Getty Images/Peter Cade)
Step-free access is available in about one-third of London’s Tube stations and half of its overground stations. (Credit: Getty Images/Peter Cade)

Wheelchair user and former information service manager at Tourism for All UK Carrie-Ann Lightley, head of marketing for AccessAble, is realistic but optimistic: “London, like any large city, can be difficult to navigate as a wheelchair user, but there are pockets of excellent accessibility that have me returning to the same areas time and time again. The South Bank is one of my personal favorites because of the convenient access to Blackfriars station and the large, pleasant sidewalks. My favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon is to take a leisurely stroll along the river, stopping at food stands along the way, and seeing the street entertainers.

Like any huge city, London can be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair, but there are some areas with exceptional accessibility.
According to survey replies, the majority of public transportation options are very accessible, with all buses being wheelchair-accessible (even though they are sometimes busy), all tram stops, and the majority of ferry docks. It is vital to make meticulous preparations before traveling because only roughly one-third of Tube stations and just half of overground stations have step-free access.

London is simple to navigate for Sassy Wyatt, a blind travel blogger: “I can rock up to any Tube station and use the turn-up-and-go service provided by Transport for London: a member of staff will guide me through the station and get me onto the right line, another member of staff will meet me at the other end and escort me to the exit, saving me lots of mental fatigue.”

She recently tested the freshly inaugurated Elizabeth Line, which connects to Heathrow Airport, and observes that while “there is now much more space for guide dogs, wheelchair users, and passengers taking luggage, there is a lot less seating for able-bodied passengers.”

Wyatt relies on TFL GO, “a fully accessible and useful app that allows you to plan a journey and use the step-free category to give you the most accessible routes via bus and Tube across London,” even though visitors can access comprehensive access information on Transport for London’s accessibility page, which also includes downloadable accessibility maps and a tool for planning accessible journeys. The hidden disabilities sunflower initiative, which is getting more traction in the UK, is supported by Transport for London as well.