The purpose of this study is to examine intention to travel to accessible accommodations by families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the influence of travel constraints (intrinsic, interactive, and environmental), the severity of disorder, and the families' strategies for coping with such constraints. A structured survey targeted at Spanish families (N = 117) indicated that the intrinsic dimension and the severity of disorder positively influence their intention to travel. The study contributes to extend knowledge about travel constraints related to accessible tourism and provides insights to accommodation providers on how to better enhance the customer experience of families travelling with a child diagnosed with ASD.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of including customers with special needs in the design of cultural and heritage services before the actual experience takes place.
Design/methodology/approach
Inclusive research through co-creation took place in the city of Barcelona, Spain, in 2017, comparing the effect of including (Route 2) or not including (Route 1) customers with visual and learning difficulties in the service design process of heritage walking routes.
Findings
The results show that the most important encounter in the heritage site context is communication, although the usage and service touchpoints were also significant. In addition, results showed that the ideal encounter or touchpoint should take place before the stay.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to learning about the designing of cultural and heritage experiences and including people with special needs in the service design process before the actual experience takes place.
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