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Provision of service to disabled people is becoming more and more common in accommodation business. If you are going to build an accommodation, you can consider adjusting the facilities for handicapped people, as it does not involve much more planning, while the required investment can be obtained as a grant or a low-interest loan from foundations working on this issue.
The entrance to the accommodation should allow for independent entry of a person in a wheelchair: even two or three small steps can mean that the wheelchair will have to be lifted, causing discomfort to others. Ideally, the entrance is to be levelled or added with a ramp that has an easy gradient instead of a standard staircase. The ramp can also prove convenient when your other tourists carry in big luggage pieces or when you have delivery of heavy boxes with your weekly/monthly products. Apart from the entrance, the thresholds are to be low, or non-existantat all, in order not to obstruct the movement. All the doors and passageways in accommodation should be wide enough to let a wheel chair pass without difficulty. Besides, the doors leading to confined cells should open outwards.
The room, bathroom and WC destined for a disabled person need to be on the ground floor and have a space for manoeuvre. The WC layout should allow for a lateral access to the WC itself and have vertical and horizontal support rails. Handgrips and a seat will be also appreciated in the shower. The wash basin, tap, mirror and other utilities should be located on a lower level so that a person in a wheelchair could reach them.
In principle, every place that is accessible toa 'normal' guest should be accessible tothe disabled, too. This includes a reception with a lowered section, dining room with tables leaving space underneath, parking space with a wheelchair sign, phones inaccessible place.
Before you take the decision whether or not to make your service available for the disabled, you should check out all the possible sources of financial support in your country: aside from private financing, there might be some establishments that support projects by giving no/low-interest loans or grants (e.g., in UK English and Wales Tourist Boards, as well as Council for Small Industries in Rural Area are engaged in disabled people projects).
When advertising your accommodation, remember to put the sign of a wheelchair on the website and in all the guidebooks and brochures to attract the disabled customers.
Finally, it should be noted that even if you decide upon the ¨no-disabled people in accommodation¨ policy, but have senior tourists, you should consider at least some of the above measures (rooms on the ground floor, handrails in bathroom, WC, and so on).
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5.9. Services for Special Target Groups | 5.9.2. Babysitting |
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