Let everyone enjoy travel

Accessible travel needs to be a consideration as the travel industry tries to become more resilient after the pandemic, according to the World Tourism Organization.

About 10% of the world’s population is over the age of 65, and about 16% have some form of disability.

As Thailand’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on tourism, infrastructure development has become easier for both the public and private sectors.

While there are some accessibility laws related to buildings and national development plans, operators and visitors feel that much more needs to be done to protect the quality of life for people with disabilities.

disabled traveler

“I believe that every person with a disability wants to travel,” said Phathharabhandhu Krissana, vice-chairman of the Thailand Physically Disabled Association and member of the executive committee of the Thailand Disabled Persons Organization.

As a wheelchair user after a car accident more than 30 years ago, Mr Phattharabhandhu recalled his experiences visiting foreign countries and Thailand’s natural parks, dams and facilities offering camping and rafting.

“If I just sat and waited for those spots to adapt to me, I wouldn’t be able to travel at all,” he said.

“I need to be prepared ahead of time, with my helpers and my gear.”

One problem is the lack of supporting infrastructure in public spaces. For example, Mr Phattharabhandhu said it was impossible to go to street food stalls by the roadside or by the river due to space constraints and lack of ramps.

In terms of transportation, although Bangkok offers some public buses and facilities with ramps, these services are not widely available in other tourist cities such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya.

In many cases, he said, support equipment was poorly constructed, including ramps that were too steep and guide blocks that caused obstacles, despite the concept of accessibility being propagated through disability advocacy for 20 years.

Left in Takiantia village, the community provides a sightseeing bus that can accommodate six wheelchair users.

high value opportunity

Disabled tourists are a group known for high travel expenditures.

A 2015 study on accessible tourism in Europe showed that this group spent 1.16 times more than the average tourist.

Long-haul tourists with disabilities should be seen as an opportunity for Thailand because of their high travel needs and stable personal finances, said Jittasak Putjorn, an assistant professor at Silpakorn University who is studying Thailand’s development as a “tourism for all” destination.

Mr Jittasak estimates that disabled tourists from Europe will contribute 88.6 billion euros by 2025, while those traveling with two other people, such as friends and family, will contribute more than 266 billion euros.

Katemanee Sankhamping, who runs a private tour company for the elderly and wheelchair users called Health and Care Thai Tours in Chiang Mai, said her clients were mainly from Europe, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China.

Ms Katemanee said customers are willing to pay for quality service when they visit attractions in Thailand.

Tour prices are 10% higher than other packages due to extensive services and accessible equipment fees.

The key to success in this space, she says, is having professional tour guides who understand what types of tours are safe and treat clients with care and safety.

The village below Takiantia, developed by Dasta Area 3 and locals, is equipped with accessible ramps and toilets.

universal design

Landscape architects play an important role in designing the look and use of a building for visitors of all ages and needs, whether it’s a walkway, a convention center, or a park.

“I believe that the concept of universal design and inclusiveness has been etched into the minds of all architects,” said Namchai Saensupha, president of the Thai Landscape Architects Association.

Mr Namchai said he has noticed a growing need for private and public developers to add inclusive features to their projects as building laws change minimum requirements for accessibility.

By combining universal design and inclusive features, private developers can add value to their projects, enabling them to apply for international certifications such as the WELL Building Standard, he said.

Examples of inclusive new public projects include Benjakitti Park, owned by the Ministry of Finance, and Silom Footpath, owned by the Bangkok Metropolitan Municipality (BMA).

The Sustainable Tourism Authority Designated Area (Dasta) also incorporates universal design requirements in its tourism development plan.

Sutarak Sunthornviphart, managing director of Dasta Area 3 Pattaya and Connecting Area, said its highlights were community tourist spots: Takiantia Village and the Chak Ngaew Chinese Market.

Both were co-invested by locals and Dasta between 2018 and 2020 and are equipped with accessible ramps and toilets.

These two destinations form part of the Chonburi “Tourism for All” itinerary and have been certified by the Thailand Friendly Design Foundation.

In the village of Takiantia, the community provides a sightseeing bus that can accommodate six wheelchair users.

Mr Sutarak said Dasta has also trained operators in the area and provided them with general design guidelines, encouraging hotels and attractions to adapt their properties.

Other public and private projects that have been upgraded in Dasta District 3 include Bali Hai Pier and Nong Nooch Garden.

He said Dasta plans to develop Ban Amphoe in Sattahip as a beachfront destination and include it in the “Top 100 Green Destinations” list within four years, capitalizing on the concept of tourism development.

Tourists in wheelchairs enjoy a private tour in Chiang Mai run by Health and Care Thai Tours, a part of the company Authentic Thai Tours.

fewer barriers to work

Despite public awareness of the importance of accessible infrastructure in cities, Thailand is not considered a disability-friendly country, with impassable sidewalks and poor-quality crosswalks.

One factor, says Mr Namchai, is insufficient government resources and rules that prevent professional designers from taking up such projects.

For example, the BMA has only a handful of landscape architects with the expertise to design accessible environments for the public, compared with a large number of engineers, he said.

In addition, Mr Namchai said government departments often restrict outsourcing conditions, which favors the bidder who offers the job at the lowest price, resulting in lower-quality projects.

He said unfeasible fees for private designers, typically around 2% of construction costs, also discouraged good designers from bidding for jobs, as they were used to 8-10% of construction costs.

To fix the low-quality pavements around Bangkok, Mr Namchai said there should be an intermediary working with the relevant authorities, since public facilities involve different authorities, dealing with utility poles, telephone lines and trees.

He said Thailand needed to develop a long-term vision for the public sector, put quality over budget and allow more participation by private professionals.

Mr Sutarak said Dasta also had limited budgetary allocations and mandates.

If Dasta can lead tour operators, not just act as coordinator, it can drive more accessibility projects, he said.

Connect sellers and tourists

Accessible tourism still needs a core platform to connect buyers and sellers to improve Thailand’s competitiveness, the tour operator said.

As an operator in Chiang Mai, Ms Katemanee said that shortcomings in the tourism industry include the lack of a platform to help operators like her match customers, especially domestic tourists.

“Too often, training sessions and seminars on tourism for seniors and people with disabilities end without any continuation or follow-up,” she said.

Mr Jittasak said Thailand needed a national mechanism to connect all stakeholders in the supply chain, including tourists with disabilities, travel agencies and tourist attractions.

In his research, for example, he found that many small operators were scattered across tourist destinations in Thailand, growing organically without the support of a strong business network.

Mr Jittasak suggested that the Minister of Tourism act as the project moderator, allocate the budget and work with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.

He said workers in the tourism industry, such as hotel staff, attraction workers and tour guides, should be trained to help tourists with disabilities.

Mr Jittasak expects his study of Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Phetchaburi and Prachuapah should help determine the potential of this segment by 2025 and determine the existing supply in the country, which Potentially recommend development policies for the future.

Users with disabilities can test the policies in preparation for marketing at global trade events, he said.

Mr Phattharabhandhu said the government should set up a digital platform to compile essential travel information for people with disabilities, including interesting routes and how to get from the airport to the city.

He urged the government to set up a committee to oversee the agenda, in which representatives from the public and private sectors could launch an action plan for infrastructure development.

In addition, Mr Phattharabhandhu suggested that the authorities work with the community to create pilot subdivisions suitable for disabled tourists, rather than leaving structures such as hotels or malls to do the job alone.

He said there could be tourist hubs like the old town near Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok, or transportation and medical hubs like the Victory Monument, with hospitals and government agencies nearby, where there are already many disabled users.