Disability Act brings new prospects

Hospitality industry employees should view October's Disability Discrimination Act as a huge new business opportunity.

Arnold Fewell, a consultant at AVF Marketing, told the conference that people with disabilities made up a potential market worth £5m in the UK. He added that by making the experience enjoyable, businesses had the chance to build strong loyalty and further business from carers and the individual's extended family.

"Very few hotels are doing this well," Fewell said. "I've been to new hotels that don't have a clue - with disabled parking bays that are too thin to accommodate a wheelchair next to the vehicle."

Fewell concluded that for people with disabilities, going out in this country tended to be a chore rather than a pleasure.

He said this could easily be rectified if hospitality venues conducted an access audit and improved staff training, and that represented a small outlay for something that could boost business significantly.