blog.attractionsmanagement.com ACCESS FOR ALL
Our cover star this issue, Katie Price, has been outspoken in support of the rights of people with disabilities – especially children. We ask whether enough is being done to ensure access for all to attractions and what practical steps can be taken to improve things
I
n this issue, we ask our panel of experts how attractions can better cater for people with disabilities – how they can engage with them and enable them to enjoy the enhanced quality of life that comes from
great days out with friends and family (see page 28). Our feature was inspired by comments made by former glamour model Katie Price, who has a 12-year-old son with disabilities. Price is putting her fame to good use in calling for better provision of facilities for children with disabilities and their families. Disabled people can be
vulnerable to poverty, so provisions need to be made so they can both afford and access attractions. We’ve written before about Morgan’s Wonderland, the amazing US-based theme park built by Gordon Hartman – who’s contributed to our feature. Hartman made his theme park free for children with disabilities and their families. He has funded it by setting up an American football team and building a stadium next to the theme park, so the profits from the sports team subsidise the park. There are plans for more Morgan’s Wonderlands and it
These include having dedicated staff, specialist training,
We have the opportunity to contribute to something which is seen by the WHO as a basic human right: a full social life
targeted marketing and adapted physical environments. It’s a substantial challenge, but one we must rise to for a whole host of reasons – some practical, some ethical and some commercial – if real change is to be achieved. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says more than 1 billion people worldwide are permanently disabled – that’s around 15 per cent of the total population. The number is growing due to the ageing of the population, increases in chronic health conditions and – shockingly – war. Although it’s tough to
contemplate, the WHO says war is a cause for this number escalating: “for every person killed, many more are permanently disabled.” There are also millions who
struggle physically but aren’t categorised as disabled: older
people, or those whose challenges are less severe but still limiting and those who are injured or have a temporary challenge or disability. All need support, which gives operators the opportunity to develop an additional visitor stream, while offering assistance to groups who need it. The WHO says attitudes against disability are the main
would be exciting if this was the start of a new generation of purpose-built attractions that enable wider access. Our experts raise important points about addressing the challenges of supporting and accommodating people of all ages with a wide range of disabilities. They discuss ways to help people with disabilities to feel comfortable and at ease and ensure their safety, while also avoiding segregation.
barrier to people leading better lives, but that this can be changed through better education, training and integration. As attractions grow across the world, we have the
opportunity to make a contribution to what is increasingly seen as a basic human right by the WHO: a full social life.
Liz Terry, editor, twitter: @elizterry
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385
leisuremedia.com
@attractionsmag
theteam@leisuremedia.com AM 4 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014 Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104