North York Moors Accessibility Project
VisitBritain/Peter Kindersley
intro
Inspiring people with accessibility requirements in the Dutch market from the Explorer segment (PDF, 1.99 MB) to take short breaks in the North York Moors region.
Objectives
To develop and promote a high-quality accessible tourism itinerary for the North York Moors, bookable for people in Germany and/or Netherlands with accessibility requirements.
1. To support tourism businesses in the North York Moors to improve information, customer service and facilities for the benefit of both domestic and international visitors with accessibility requirements.
2. To support destination organisations (DOs) in the North York Moors to become local champions of long-term accessible tourism development.
3. To act as a test and learn project to inform a potential wider roll-out.
Background and context
We at VisitEngland have a longstanding accessibility work programme providing direction and support to businesses and destinations to harness and grow the accessible tourism market. This includes providing the industry with a range of guidance, tools and resources in our Business Advice Hub.
We have also undertaken product development and marketing projects that have developed and promoted accessible tourism itineraries.
A national commitment
In 2019 the Tourism Sector Deal announced the ambition to make the UK the most accessible tourism destination in Europe. The Tourism Recovery Plan published in June 2021 restates the commitment and accessible & inclusive tourism is a key aspect of the plan.
Participants
In October 2021, a business engagement meeting was held at North Yorkshire Moors Railway to share the aims of the project and how businesses could get involved.
Twelve businesses from the region got involved in the project, including experiences, attractions and accommodation.
Product development
Each of the participating businesses in the project received the following support to help them improve their accessibility:
- An accessibility audit and improvement plan
- An Accessibility Guide produced on their behalf
- Mystery shop(s) by local disabled people
- Support to develop information on their website
- A peer mentor from a similar business type in another destination
- Accessibility Champion training for key lead staff member(s)
- Online training for all front-line staff
- Ongoing support and advice from Professional Accessibility Mentors.
In addition to this, two destination-wide events were held in Whitby to engage businesses in the wider region with accessible tourism and showcase best practice from other tourism businesses. Two destination organisations, Discover Yorkshire Coast and The North York Moors National Park, were also supported to improve the accessibility information on their websites.
Following completion of the Product Development phase of the project, a meeting was held with all participating businesses on 12th January 2023 to share learnings and the next steps in marketing.
Marketing
Our marketing activity included an award-winning digital marketing campaign.
In autumn 2022 social media FAM trips were undertaken by disabled influencers @LifeofPippa and @WheelieGoodLife, in a content creation partnership with Purple Goat Agency. Both influencers also created blogs for VisitEngland.com.
In January 2023, The Guardian’s Travel Editor Jane Dunford published an article in the Guardian on her experiences of the itinerary, alongside her sister, Lisa, a wheelchair user, and published an article on their website promoting accessible adventures in the North York Moors National Park.
On top of this, we used our own channels to promote the project, including a listicle on seven accessible experiences in the North York Moors.
Paid international marketing begun in the Netherlands at the start of January, focusing on YouTube where our inspirational video encourages users to click through to the Discover Yorkshire Coast website to book. At the same time, a promotional package in the specialist Dutch magazine Support Mag includes an advertorial in the print magazine (holiday special), digital and social channels.
In May 2023 we were awarded Digital PR Campaign of the Year 2023 for our work promoting the itinerary. Judges crowned it the winner because of the creative solution it delivered and how it contributed to our wider accessible tourism objectives.
Project suppliers
Access for All UK Professional Accessibility Mentors (PAMs)
Note: Access for All UK is now two new, separate organisations: Accessible UK and Access & Inclusion UK .
The role of the Professional Accessibility Mentors (PAMs) was largely to advise, guide and mentor the 12 participating businesses through an Access for All Development Process in Phase 2: Product Development.
Tourism for All: online accessibility training provider
Tourism for All provided access to an existing online disability awareness e-learning programmes for all customer-facing staff at the 12 businesses between September 2021 and March 2022.
Kubi Kalloo: Audience research provider
This audience research provider completed two phases of research:
Project Accessible: Phase 1
Quantitative research, focused on the customer journey and holiday behaviour of German and Dutch Explorers with an accessibility requirement.
Project Accessible: Phase 2
Qualitative research, focusing on the testing of the proposed itineraries to establish their appeal and suitability for the target group.
