Creative Approaches to the Americans with Disabilities Act

Purpose-This exploratory study aims to focus on the challenges arising from the interactions between wheelchair users, individuals using crutches and blind people with the hotel environment as well as on the efforts to overcome these challenges. Design/methodology/approach-The sample was gathered through a snowballing technique. The study utilizes in-depth semi-structured interviews of 45 participants: 20 used wheelchairs; ten were dependent on crutches; and 15 were blind. The data were subject to thematic content analysis. Findings-Interpreted by the social model of disability, the results suggest that the challenges participants confront derive from the physical design of the environment as well as staff behaviors. Differences were found between the hotel experiences of people with various types of disabilities. Research limitation/implications-The sample was limited to Israeli participants. Practical implications-The paper offers recommendations for hotel management with regard to specific physical as well as interpersonal means to alleviate apparent difficulties faced by people with disabilities in their hotel experiences. Originality/value-This study broadcasts the genuine voice of people with disabilities. The findings are of special relevance to hospitality researchers, educators, executives, and hotel staff.

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“…Another stream of studies centered on the impact of the ADA (American Disability Act) on the hospitality industry (e.g. Ohlin, 1993).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dimensions of hotel experience of people with disabilities: an exploratory study

Poria

Reichel²,

Brandt³

2011

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

119

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“…(1) the characteristics of persons with disabilities who partake in the tourist experience and the economic potential of this market (Israeli, 2002); (2) the legislation governing service provisions (Ohlin, 1993;Ostroff, 2001); and…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers for people with disabilities in visiting casinos

Wan

2013

Int J Contemp Hospitality Mngt

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the barriers identified by people with disabilities in visiting casinos. Design/methodology/approach – Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 12 people with disabilities recruited from the investigator's clinical and community networks and personal referrals, and 18 casino supervisors and dealers who attended a casino diploma course offered by a university. The data were subjected to thematic content analysis. Findings – The results indicated that customers with disabilities faced physical, human and financial barriers during their visit to casinos. The six barriers that were commonly identified by all participants included: the physical barriers in game playing; insufficient facilities and accessibility; insufficient space; entrance blockage; poor staff service; and insufficient information and communication. There were two other barriers reported only by the participants with disabilities – social exclusion and financial barriers. Differences in comparison to the barriers that this market segment had encountered in other tourism contexts are also discussed. Research limitations/implications – The sample is limited to Macao participants and the sample size is small. Practical implications – This study offers recommendations for casino operators and government authorities with regard to specific physical, financial and interpersonal means to alleviate apparent difficulties faced by people with disabilities when visiting a casino. Originality/value – This study fills the research void in the literature regarding the barriers encountered by people with disabilities in visiting a casino. It also broadcasts the genuine voice of this market segment.

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“…In general, studies published in the tourism and hospitality literature have also approached the subject from the perspective of social justice and altruism and meeting legal requirements posed by the ADA rather than marketing purposes. They have dealt with: (1) how disabilities affect travel behaviour ( Takeda and Card, 2002 ;Woodside and Etzel, 1980 ), (2) how to meet ADA requirements ( Hodapp, 1993 ;Kohl and Greenlaw, 1992 ;Papadatos, 1993 ;Sherwyn et al ., 2000 ;Withiam, 1992Withiam, , 1997Woods and Kavanaugh, 1992 ), (3) how to best serve people with a disability on hospitality business premises ( Israeli, 2002 ;Ohlin, 1993 ;Stokes, 1990 ), (4) how to best train employees to serve people with disabilities ( Kreismann and Palmer, 2001 ;Lazarus and Kaufman, 1988 ;Mergenhagen and Crispell, 1997 ), (5) the travel needs and motivations of the mobility-disabled ( Ray and Ryder, 2003 ), and (6) obstacles to travel by persons with disabilities ( McKercher et al ., 2003 ;Murray and Sproats, 1990 ). Burnett and Baker (2001) , one of the few more marketing-oriented studies, examined the relationship between mobility-disabled consumers and their destination requirement criteria.…”

Section: People / Travellers With Disabilities Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Families Travelling with a Disabled Member: Analysing the Potential of an Emerging Niche Market Segment

Huh

Singh

2007

Tourism and Hospitality Research

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The 2000 Census of Population indicated that 50 million Americans, or 19.3 per cent of the US population, were people with disabilities and covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is estimated that the number of families with a member with a disability will grow significantly. Although people with disabilities and their families have sufficient discretionary income and time to take pleasure trips, tourism and hospitality marketers and practitioners to date generally have not much considered this group to be a focal market segment. The objective of the study was to determine whether families with a member with a disability should be considered a viable niche market by tourism and hospitality industry. Two secondary data sets from US Census reports and a six-state longitudinal travel market survey were used to evaluate the viability of this group as a market segment according to Kotler's criteria for market segmentation. Substantiality, differentiability and actionability were identified as the three most important criteria to determine that this segment is a viable niche tourism market. The findings indicate that this market can possibly be attracted through discount deals and reached through auto club publications and specially designed web pages. The marketing implications of this study are discussed.

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Creative Approaches to the Americans with Disabilities Act

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Dimensions of hotel experience of people with disabilities: an exploratory study

Dimensions of hotel experience of people with disabilities: an exploratory study

Barriers for people with disabilities in visiting casinos

Families Travelling with a Disabled Member: Analysing the Potential of an Emerging Niche Market Segment

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