Workbook final

BJECTIVES

OALS

To provide requirements and guidance in the application of Universal Design of products and services for customer

communications for use by Tourism Service Providers, and to assist them to make their products and services for

communications more accessible and usable by as many people as possible without the need for additional adaptation

or specialised design.

EATURES

ITH

DDITIONS FROM THE

ERO

ROJECT

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Ireland’s Standard on Universal Design for Customer Engagement in Tourism Services (I.S. 373:2013) are to be classified

as a

national non-legally binding regulatory policy

It helps tourism service providers to meet their legal obligations under the Equal Status Acts 2000-2011 and the

Disability Act 2005 (where applicable).

It describes precisely the communication requirements for a diverse range of tourism customers. The categories

include written communications, face-to-face communications, telephone and electronic/web-based

communications.

Its definition of Universal Design for customer engagement extends beyond a focus on disability and special

needs to include all people, regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.

To guide tourism service providers in the implementation of I.S. 373:2013 the CEUD developed practical and business-

oriented Toolkits. The guidance for use in written, face-to-face and electronic/web based communications is designed

for quick and easy training of staff, can be applied at little or no extra cost, is practical, easy to use and understand and

can be read and understood quickly. Furthermore, four specific case studies with tourism operators in Ireland have been

elaborated that provide evidence of the business value of adopting a Universal Design approach to customer

communications.

NNOVATION

Tourism customers that are over 50 years old buy 40% more holidays than those under 30s, averaging five or six breaks

per year. Persons with disabilities in Europe and from around the world are increasingly expecting an accessible tourism

experience. Customer communications are a key element of this experience. In 2012, 54% of travel bookings were made

online. However, only 27% of tourism customers felt that the travel websites were easy to use, and many are

inaccessible. Most other forms of guidance on accessibility available to the tourism sector about communication focuses

primarily on specific accommodations for persons with disabilities, such as Braille menus without considering and

emphasizing the many design adaptations and “easy wins” that can make customer communications more accessible

and usable for all, such as larger font sizes and clear print, uncluttered and easy to use websites, etc. The Toolkits

emphasize the benefits to businesses, not just of complying with regulations, but that come from acknowledging and

addressing the need to provide better customer communications to the naturally diverse range of customers that they

already have. It combines easy to understand and to read guidance with images of good and bad practices and

checklists that can be used immediately by staff with little or no introductory training. It is envisaged that through