Losing out on visitors - A Opinion Piece by Tom Chambers

Tom Chambers

TOURISM is missing out on millions or euros annually, because of its failure to cater for the needs of the disabled according to a survey carried out by the University of Ulster, 'School of Built Environment'.

The survey found that while staff, at tourist offices was helpful, less than half could offer useful advice. Disabled visitors are left to hope for the best, the survey warned and it added that not only is it bad for the tourism, it is bad for business.

Many critics in Westport, including myself, have called on the tourist trade here to wake up to the fact that disabled tourists are lucrative customers. Research indicates that there are over 55 million people with disability resident in the European Union alone.

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Losing out on visitors