WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.813 At a recent Conference I told a story. Let me share it with you? 00:00:03.813 --> 00:00:25.965 As a born storyteller, in a room full of storytellers, I can’t resist the temptation to weave a story for you. I guess when you were getting ready to come along to today’s event you had expectations. Maybe a sense of wonder and a sprinkling of curiosity about what people are going to be talking about. 00:00:25.965 --> 00:00:38.269 You got up, dressed, had breakfast, decided whether it was a day for a coat - after all, this is Scotland - thought about how to get here and then coming in through the doors the fun began. 00:00:38.269 --> 00:00:51.017 My story was a bit like that too … Yep, I got up, my P.A. helped me shower, dress and then grab some food. I too had the dilemma of a big coat, summer coat, or no coat! 00:00:51.017 --> 00:00:58.279 So many questions when I got here. Is there an accessible loo or Changing Places Toilet? Are there any surprise lifts? 00:00:58.279 --> 00:01:04.261 What’s the space going to be like? Will I be able to see everything? I hope they’ve got mugs and not teacups! 00:01:04.261 --> 00:01:05.697 My list carried on… 00:01:05.697 --> 00:01:13.221 You need to understand that I cannot enjoy my visit until my hierarchy of needs, my questions, and thoughts have answers. 00:01:13.221 --> 00:01:23.539 I may not need all the things I mentioned, but I do need to know about them before I can think about my sense of wonder, my curiosity, or my enjoyment. 00:01:23.539 --> 00:01:25.786 Think of them as barriers to wonder … 00:01:25.786 --> 00:01:47.755 Some places treat accessibility as a compliance exercise and do as little as they can get away with. We notice the minimalist approach instantly as we get stuck turning around in the accessible loo. We have flashbacks to hospitals when we see white clinical looking grab rails or loads of unwelcoming signage. 00:01:47.755 --> 00:01:49.191 Quality is important. 00:01:49.191 --> 00:02:18.527 Places that see accessibility as being like an extension of health and safety will not gain our custom. Don’t be like the microbrewery that told me it had an accessible tour, an accessible loo and an accessible shop. Their checklist approach forgot to include the car park. I couldn’t get out of the car as the gravel was like a beach and so we left and found somewhere more welcoming! 00:02:18.527 --> 00:02:36.342 We often see venues advertising themselves as fully accessible. Sadly, these places are unknowingly telling us they don’t understand accessibility. Fully accessible is not achievable as it is a concept and not something you achieve or create. 00:02:36.342 --> 00:02:53.635 Beware of the idea that a long list of accessibility features makes your attraction accessible. It simply means you have lots of stuff but it’s not an automatic passport to a five-star experience or a quality experience. 00:02:53.635 --> 00:03:01.707 There’s many a visit I have made where the brochure was amazing and the features on offer were fabulous, but the experience was dreadful! 00:03:01.707 --> 00:03:06.958 I don’t always remember the detail of my many visits, but I always remember how I felt. 00:03:06.958 --> 00:03:17.433 Five-star experiences are where you feel amazing! Where you smile, laugh, and have that feeling as though inside you’re dancing! 00:03:17.433 --> 00:03:25.296 Even today, ‘wow’ moments are still rare! I recall talking to a group of accommodation providers recently. 00:03:25.296 --> 00:03:34.439 Someone contributed the thought that they didn’t see many disabled people in their area and so, what was the point of investing in accessibility? 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:37.756 Just for once I was speechless … let’s flip the coin … 00:03:37.756 --> 00:03:52.515 I’m mindful of Galashiels, a quiet Border town, where, after years of decline, a new railway line opened with an amazing transport hub. The town’s traders knew disabled people would visit too. 00:03:52.515 --> 00:04:02.703 The town’s folk quietly set about creating ramps for the cafes, their shops, and their attractions. They made sure there was a Changing Places Toilet in the town. 00:04:02.703 --> 00:04:12.107 They designed wayfinding which incorporated a guidance line to help people find the newly created Great Tapestry of Scotland building. 00:04:12.107 --> 00:04:30.471 Maybe they recognised the new marketing opportunity. Who wouldn’t want a slice of the 446 billion pound spend of disabled people across the UK. Or, perhaps, the 1.4 billion pound spend in Scotland on inclusive tourism. 00:04:30.471 --> 00:04:41.521 Not to mention the longer stays, higher than average spends, more return visits, and loud voices as people told everyone about their amazing visit. 00:04:41.521 --> 00:04:56.672 Don’t be like the island community that had so much to offer but didn’t think disabled people would be interested. I read all about the whisky but couldn’t find mention of any wheelchair accessible accommodation. I didn’t visit. 00:04:56.672 --> 00:05:06.834 Don’t be like the hotel that thought more of its guests who brought their pet dogs than they did their disabled guests. A website full of encouragement to dog lovers and nothing for me! 00:05:06.834 --> 00:05:08.323 I didn’t visit. 00:05:08.323 --> 00:05:09.864 You talk about impact. 00:05:09.864 --> 00:05:15.480 Typically, it is the small things that make the biggest impact for your disabled visitors. 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:35.412 Visiting a World Class attraction, I took the tour that everyone takes. A short while into the tour, our guide ‘Bill’, chose a discrete moment, and simply asked me if everything was working for me. Those experiences don’t happen in my day to day life. 00:05:35.412 --> 00:05:51.033 I ask you to be like ‘Scott’ at Glen Ord, The Singleton of Glen Ord, who was so proud of the Changing Places Toilet that they’d built at the distillery. I don’t know who was more excited -me to discover it or him to show me it! 00:05:51.033 --> 00:06:03.781 After all it’s the only whisky distillery in the world with a Changing Places Toilet! That says something about reaching out to your communities too - not just for visitors but for everyone. 00:06:03.781 --> 00:06:21.152 Sometimes disabled people don’t want to do some of the things you may imagine. It may be a surprise to learn that I and many others have no great desire to climb every tower house or go rambling across the hills, but we do want to get into the spaces. 00:06:21.152 --> 00:06:33.482 I’m delightfully happy visiting Glen tress and being able to sit amid the tree lined valley without racing around the cycle paths; albeit the all ability route is quite fabulous! 00:06:33.482 --> 00:06:46.831 The impact of the experiences I describe is deep and meaningful. So much so, I can recall, all this time later, people’s names, the stories they told and the difference they made to my visit! 00:06:46.831 --> 00:06:48.999 So, my message today is simple … 00:06:48.999 --> 00:06:53.413 In this time of responsible tourism don’t forget disabled visitors. 00:06:53.413 --> 00:06:54.197 Thank you!