example of inclusive tour

Five Ways to Make Your Trips More Inclusive

Guest post by prachi thakur on being inclusive..

Inclusion is the new buzzword, and everyone wants to get on board by making their trips inclusive.

As our industry stands on the selling point of diversity, it is essential that you incorporate a few minor changes to become more inclusive and be closer to that 5-star review!

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Five quick changes to make your tours more inclusive., 1. make your research inclusive..

Yes, you are an expert in your area, and know all the nooks and corners, but are you aware of clashing heritage issues?

Well, now is the time to check!

Before explaining, do a little digging on the participants (or even better, ask them about their heritage!) and make sure you are fully aware of the heritage relating to the sites – and see if it contrasts or collates with the heritage of one of your participants.

I know this one sounds very obvious, but we have been taught a tweaked history of many places, so doing a little more digging can go a long way. This will help you avoid negative sentiment; it will also help you bond better with your guests who share the same heritage.

Read more here about ethical storytelling .

2. Ask about accessibility during sign-ups.

You have planned an extensive tour with exotic stops; however, you discover at the tour start that a guest has arrived with a wheelchair.

What’s better than an on-the-spot plan change?

A prepared plan!

If you have people signing up for your tour through your website, phone or even a google form, make sure you have a clear option where people can list their accessibility levels. Not only is this going to help you plan a better trip, but it will also seal your 5 stars on that review because you didn’t leave the individual behind!

Also, a word of caution, be careful and mindful of how you ask.

The question should not give them a vibe that they will be left behind if they disclose their issues.

An excellent place to begin is to have a text box with the question, “Please mention if you have accessibility issues. We want to know this to make sure we give you the best experience on tour”.

3. Ask before calling someone out.

You went to a heritage site, and you had done digging on your participants. Turns out, one of them shared the story of heritage, and now you want to make it personal for them.

Well, on the surface, this might look like a good idea to call them out by asking, “Hey Karen, how are you feeling right now since we have come to Chinatown?” – don’t!

If you want to make it personal for them and others, please ask them privately, or before the trip if they would like to share their sentiment or participate in the show-and-tell.

4. Re-examine your jokes.

Who doesn’t like a funny guide?

Keeping your guests laughing is a great way to achieve a 5-star review, but the stakes can be high if the joke backfires.

It’s important to re-examine jokes (even ones that might have worked in the past).  Not because you alone are biased, and so at risk of causing microaggressions. I am just saying that we all are.

No matter how long you’ve been in the business, no matter how many 5-star ratings you’ve collected, do check your jokes regularly before you say them out loud.

A harmless sentence can carry ethnic sentiments, so avoid any potential assumptions or stereotypes.

5. Always ask before supporting.

If a guest came with crutches, or someone is heavily pregnant – don’t help without asking.

Yes, they need help, but if you give it without asking, they might be offended in thinking that they are weak.

What to do then?

“do you think it’ll be easier if I can help?”

“Would you like it if I help?”

No matter how good your intentions are, actions will always be perceived according to other’s sentiments.

Making these small changes on your tour will ensure that your guests feel the best while ensuring your 5-star rating! 

World Women Tourism Prachi on LinkedIn

Related articles:

How to Create Responsible Tours Even When Your Guests Take Buses and Planes.

Why Your Tour Branding Shouldn’t Stop Once Guests are on the Tour

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Create an inclusive virtual tour

On this page:

Page layout

Interactive or 3d tours, affected audiences.

When creating an inclusive virtual tour, whether for a campus, school, department, or unit, it is important to prioritize accessibility and inclusivity throughout the entire tour. This means that all visitors can experience an equally integrated and effective virtual tour, regardless of their abilities or needs. If there are multiple variations of a virtual tour, the outcomes from all must be the same.

It's important to ensure that the inclusive tour is the primary virtual tour with any interactive tour included as an enhancement. The inclusive and interactive tours should provide the same information. This does not mean the information must be presented in the same way, for example spoken versus written. But the content and outcomes must be equivalent.

Virtual tours should be designed with accessibility and inclusivity in mind from the beginning to create a comprehensive engaging experience for all visitors.

Expectations and tips

The expectation is to create a virtual tour that will provide an engaging, informative, and inclusive experience. This means ensuring that the tour is accessible and user-friendly, providing alternative text for any images or graphics, and offering closed captions, transcripts. and audio descriptions for any videos. The goal should be to create an inclusive and immersive experience that accurately represents the subject of the tour.

Consider the following when building your virtual tour:

• A large tour may require multiple pages. If so, consider breaking it up into natural or logical sections. And remember, videos and images increase loading time. Avoid having more than 10 or 12 stops per page.
• Try to make text rich and descriptive—this helps deliver an experience that more closely replicates physical tours.
• Include text transitions (for example, "Continue down the hall" or "Let's go to the second floor") to connect locations.
• Include alt text describing the images, in addition to image captions. Tour stop descriptions (the text about a stop) should not duplicate alt text for the image or captions and audio description for the video. They should work together. Learn more about writing alternative text for images .
• Include appropriate captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions for any videos.
• Use a semantic heading, paragraph text, image, or other media for each tour stop without using <figure> and <figcaption> . Simplifying the HTML reduces potential issues.
• If you also have an interactive or 3D tour, make sure the content in the inclusive tour provides the same information. Text does not need to be exactly the same or delivered in the same format (for example, spoken versus written), but it should provide equivalent content and outcomes.
• An interactive or 3D tour must not stand alone as the only tour content on a page.
• Present the more inclusive tour first, with the interactive or 3D tour included as an enhanced version of the virtual tour. This will better meet IU policies, and still permit use of the interactive or 3D tour.
• If you have an interactive or 3D tour, make sure the more inclusive version using traditional media is equivalent in the most important content and will result in an equal outcome. Images, videos, or other media at significant stops on the interactive or 3D tour must be represented in the more inclusive tour.

Review the virtual tour wireframes with accessibility annotations to ensure you master inclusion on your site. In addition, you may find the following example tours useful:

• IU Indianapolis
• Kelley Full-Time MBA Program's Godfrey Center
• IU's Radio-Television Building

When creating virtual tours for schools or campuses, it is important to keep in mind the affected audiences. Audiences might want or need a non-interactive tour for a variety of reasons. Some visitors may have slower internet connections or older devices that cannot handle more complex tours, while others may simply prefer a more straightforward and streamlined experience. They may be on campus and following the text to do a self-guided tour. Also, a more inclusive tour can be more accessible for visitors with disabilities or those who use assistive technologies.

This is document bjam in the Knowledge Base. Last modified on 2024-07-26 09:05:20 .

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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New UNWTO Global Report on Inclusive Tourism Destinations launched on the occasion of UN Day 2018

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PR No. : PR18081

Madrid, Spain, 24 October 2018 – A new report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), produced in collaboration with UNWTO Affiliate Member globaldit, presents a model for inclusive tourism destinations. ‘Global Report on Inclusive Tourism: Model and success stories” is launched on the occasion of the UN Day 2018 celebration in Madrid, Spain.

The Model for inclusive tourism destinations presented in this Global Report contributes directly to SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth and SDG 10 – Reduction of inequalities; but also SDG 5 – Gender equality and SDG 17 – Global partnership for sustainable development.

“As globalization, interconnectivity and a growing middle class leads to ever more people travelling, the world will continue seeming to get smaller and inclusion will become even more of a priority,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. He added that this publication “will serve as an important tool for the tourism community to create and promote inclusion in destinations, and a valuable reference for all tourism stakeholders in developing best practices for a more inclusive sector”.

In addition, this report highlights the need to foster discussion on and examine new approaches to inclusive tourism in order to drive tourism’s long-term sustainability.

Various experts from organizations in the field of tourism and the SDGs contributed to this report: the Ashoka Foundation, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Google, IE University, PREDIF, the SDG Fund, Airbnb, Vinces, Walhalla DCS and Ekin Consulting. It also features success stories from a variety of stakeholders, such as the Gauteng Tourism Authority, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, CENFOTUR, Korea Tourism Organization, VisitScotland, Chemonics and the State of Michoacán, Mexico.

Useful links:

Global Report on Inclusive Tourism Destinations

UNWTO Communications Department

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 /  [email protected]

Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter ,  Instagram ,  YouTube ,  LinkedIn  and  Flickr .

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How Can Tourism Become More Accessible, Inclusive and Sustainable? (by TrainingAid)

Making tourism accessible.

(by TrainingAid)

“I have a wife and three children. If I can’t use a product or service, then the business loses not only one person’s business, but five.”

Martin Heng, Accessible Travel Manager & Editorial Adviser for Lonely Planet, emphasizes that people with disabilities and people with different access needs do  travel, and are likely to travel with others.Based on Martin’s  presentation  (originally recorded on July 18th, 2019 as part of the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Training  Online Course ) and relevant industry resources, below are some ideas and insights on how and why we should promote not just accessibility, but also inclusive tourism that benefits everyone.

Contrary to what many might think, accessible tourism is not just about providing facilities that are wheel-chair accessible. Senior travelers. Parents traveling with small kids. Travelers with allergies and other medical conditions. These are all different types of travelers who have different degrees of accessibility restrictions and mobility requirements.

Tourism for All

“Tourism for All” is a concept that is addressing a growing segment of travelers with a diverse range of needs and requirements. What is “accessible” to one traveler who is a wheelchair user, for example, may be very difficult to access or completely inaccessible to another traveler with a different type of disability, mobility impairment or other conditions.

Inclusive Travel

That’s why becoming more  inclusive  is a more appropriate goal for the tourism industry than focusing just on “accessible tourism” (which can be vague and hard to define – accessible  for whom? ). An inclusive tourism business or destination works to offer positive travel experiences to people with different needs by addressing them from various perspectives, and by providing design and service solutions that aim to cover as many different groups as possible.

Accessibility and Inclusivity in the GSTC Criteria

And that’s why Tourism for All is highlighted in the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria, the baseline standard for sustainability in travel and tourism. “Tourism for All” is also referred to in the GSTC Criteria ( GSTC Industry Criteria ‘s criterion A7.4; GSTC Destination Criteria ‘s criterion B8).

Read the full article: How Can Tourism Become More Accessible, Inclusive and Sustainable? on TrainingAid (August 4, 2019)

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Inclusive tourism

Accessible tourism

Cite this chapter

• Hannah Münch &
• Rebecca Ulrich  

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‘Inclusive Tourism’ is often referred to as ‘Accessible Tourism’ or even ‘Disabled Tourism’. Disabled people were used to be and still are partially excluded from the leisure activities offered to people without mobility problems. Therefore accessible tourism is about making it easy for all people, irrespective of their gender, age or physical status, to enjoy tourism experiences. It is a set of services and facilities for individuals with special needs, who are for example disabled, elderly travellers, pregnant women, parents pushing their children in strollers or even people with temporary injuries, such as a broken leg or chronic ailments. All these people need to be particularly enabled during their travel. Thus, accessible tourism is the ongoing attempt to ensure that tourist destinations, products and services around the world are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. It comprises publicly and privately owned tourist locations. Not only the mobility-impaired people benefit from the improvements, but also their relatives, friends and other companions. Accessibility in tourism is a social right which concerns all citizens. It is often limited to a certain group of people but it should be seen in a more holistic approach (European Commission Enterprise and Industry, 2008; Wikipedia, 2009; CopperWiki, 2008).

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Accessible Tourism: A Review of Recent Research Trends and Future Agenda

Greece, Tourism and Disability

How to Improve Universal Accessibility of Smart Tourism Destinations: The Case of Amsterdam City

17.5 references.

Accessible Tourism.org (n.d.), ENAT European Network for Accessible Tourism, URL: www.accessibletourism.org /, Access Date: 20/01/09

Copperwiki.org (2008), Accessible Tourism, URL: www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Accessible_Tourism , Access Date: 20/01/09

Copperwiki.org (2008), Disabled Tourism, URL: www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Disabled_Tourism , Access Date: 20/01/09

CWAnswers.com (n.d.), Accessible Tourism, URL: www.cwanswers.com/8921/accessible_tourism , Access Date: 20/01/09

Direct.Gov.uk (n.d.), Tourism and the Disability Discrimination Act, URL: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/TravelHolidaysAndBreaks/TravelAndHolidaysInTheUk/DG_4019030 , Access Date: 20/01/09

Discover Israel (n.d.), Travel for the Handycapped, URL: www.tourism.gov.il/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Discover+Israel/Facilities+for+the+Disabled.htm , Access Date: 20/01/09

European Commission Enterprise and Industry (n.d.), Tourism Accessibility, URL: www.ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tourism/major_activities/accessible_tourism/index_en.htm , Access Date: 20/01/09

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Kästner, J, (2007), Barrierefreier Tourismus, Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller

Lilienthal, A. (2007), Der Reisemarkt für Senioren, Bremen, Germany: Salzwasser Verlag

Neurotalk (n.d.), Tips for planning vacations for the disabled, URL: www.neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=24807 , Access Date: 20/01/09

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Rains, S. (2007). Inclusive Tourism: A new strategic alliance for the disability rights movement, URL: www.e-bility.com/articles/inclusive-tourism.php , Access Date: 20/01/09

RollingSA (n.d.), Tours, Travel and Accommodation for Disabled Travellers, RollingSA Accessible African Travel, URL: www.rollingsa.co.za /, Access Date: 20/01/09

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17.6 Recommended reading

Accessible Tourism.org (n.d.), ENAT - European Network for Accessible Tourism, URL: www.accessibletourism.org /

Direct.Gov.uk (n.d.), Tourism and the Disability Discrimination Act, URL: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/TravelHolidaysAndBreaks/TravelAndHolidaysInTheUk/DG_4019030

Kästner, J. (2007), Barrierefreier Tourismus, Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller

Rains, S. (2007), Inclusive Tourism: A new strategic alliance for the disability rights movement, URL: www.e-bility.com/articles/inclusive-tourism.php

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Münch, H., Ulrich, R. (2011). Inclusive tourism. In: Papathanassis, A. (eds) The Long Tail of Tourism. Gabler. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8349-6231-7_17

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What is Accessible Tourism and Why is it So Important?

Accessible tourism is an integral part of implementing sustainable tourism. When most people hear the term ‘accessible tourism’, they immediately think of disabled people and things such as audio devices for the blind and ramps for those in wheelchairs. Yes, this is an important part of accessible tourism, BUT accessible tourism is actually MUCH more than this!

Accessible tourism is about providing access to tourism for people from all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds- provision for disabled people makes up just one fragment of this.

This article sets out to cover the broad spectrum of areas that are encompassed within the concept of accessible tourism. I will explain what accessible tourism is, provide some definitions of accessible tourism and then I will discuss at length the factors influencing accessible tourism.

What is accessible tourism?

Definitions of accessible tourism, why is accessible tourism important, factors influencing access to tourism, disposable income, cost of travel, cost of tourism, cost of living, exchange rate, available leisure time, nature of employment, stage of life, social environment, access to transport , cultural attitude, images of destination, perception of destination, familiarity with destination, uncertainty over future, political stability, disease , natural disaster, social conditions , economic conditions, level of development, government attitude to tourism, laws or restrictions, availability of resources for tourism, attractions , mega-events, marketing and promotion, technology , startegies to implement accessible tourism, accessible tourism: conclusion, further reading on accessible tourism.

Accessibility in tourism is a social right- everyone should have access regardless of where they come from, their age, their gender, any disabilities they may have, hope much money they earn etc.

Also sometimes referred to as ‘ tourism for all ‘, accessible tourism is closely aligned with the principles of sustainable tourism . In order for an organisation to be sustainable, it should provide access opportunities for all.

Accessible tourism provides opportunities for all types of people to take part in tourism activities.

People’s needs vary considerably- while one person may have a physical disability, another person may be financially disadvantaged or may not have access to the technology required to organise their trip.

By ensuring there is accessible tourism, destinations are enhancing their business prospects by attracting a wider range of tourists than they may otherwise achieve.

Accessible tourism involves a collaborative process among all stakeholders in tourism including Governments, international agencies, tour-operators and tourists themselves.

There are many things to consider when planning for accessible tourism, such as accessing information, travel arrangements to the destination, local transportation, accommodation, shopping, and hospitality.

There is no universally agreed and approved definition of the term accessible tourism, which perhaps contributes to the lack of clarity that many people have in understanding what constitutes accessible tourism.

The concept of accessible tourism has evolved considerably throughout recent years. This is largely because society has become more aware and more inclusive. This has resulted in discussions about accessibility coming to the forefront amongst tourism stakeholders.

Below I have outlined some of the commonly noted definitions, however, it is important to remember that the concept is likely to continue to evolve further and that the term be need to be ‘redefined’ as necessary.

Accessible tourism (also known as access tourism, ‘universal tourism’, ‘inclusive tourism’ and in some countries such as in Japan ‘barrier-free tourism’) is tourism and travel that is accessible to all people, with disabilities or not, including those with mobility, hearing, sight, cognitive, or intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, older persons and those with temporary disabilities”  ( Takayama Declaration – Appendix, UNESCAP, 2009 ). 

‘Accessible tourism refers to tourism that caters to the needs of a full range of consumers including persons with disabilities, older persons and cross-generational families. It entails removal of attitudinal and institutional barriers in society, and encompasses accessibility in the physical environment, in transportation, information and communications and other facilities and services. It encompasses publicly and privately owned tourist locations.’ ( Takayama City and UNESCAP Conference – Press Release – Takayama, 2009 )

‘Accessible tourism is a process of enabling people with disabilities and seniors to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universal tourism products, services and environments. The definition is inclusive of the mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access.’ (Darcy, 2006)

‘ Accessible tourism enables people with access requirements, including mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive dimensions of access, to function independently and with equity and dignity through the delivery of universally designed tourism products, services and environments. This definition is inclusive of all people including those travelling with children in prams, people with disabilities and seniors’. (Darcy & Dickson, 2009)

More posts that may interest you- – Types of tourism: A glossary – Everything you need to know about sustainable tourism – Enclave tourism: An explanation – The structure of the tourism industry – What is the sharing economy and how does impact travel and tourism?

Accessible tourism is not just about people with disabilities, it is about everyone.

Accessibility is a central element of any responsible and sustainable development policy , both in the context of tourism and in other areas.

Accessible tourism is important because accessibility is a human right and an important business opportunity. By ensuring that tourism is accessible, there is more scope for business development for individuals and from a top-down perspective.

In order to ensure that accessible tourism is developed in a sustainable manner, tourism stakeholders must develop policies and practices aimed at achieving inclusivity, avoiding practices that include preferential or segregated treatment.

There are many factors that may influence a person’s access to tourism. In order for tourism to be developed and managed in a sustainable way, these factors should be taken into consideration at the planning stage and throughout implementation.

Accessible tourism: Economic factors

There are many economic reasons that tourism may not be accessible for some people. I will outline some of the major economic factors below.

Travel and tourism is considered a luxury in that it is not essential to maintain life. As a result, when a person does not have much disposable (or ‘extra’) income, the first thing to suffer is often their holidays.

During times of financial hardship, such as an economic recession, the tourism industry is one of the first areas to suffer.

Therefore, disposable income is a key contributor to the travel and tourism industry.

A key contributor to accessible tourism is price. If the price of travel is too high, many people will not be able to access it.

The tourism industry really took off with the growth of the low cost carrier . Reductions in the price of flights, coupled with growing route networks, made travel and tourism more accessible.

But it’s not just about the cost of travelling to a destination. The price of tourism facilities in the destination is also a key factor in attaining accessible tourism.

If hotels and tourist attractions are very expensive, this will likely mean that many people will not be able to access the tourism industry in this area.

The cost of living in both the tourism traveller region and the tourism destination region (for more on this see my post on Leiper’s tourism system ) can have a significant impact on accessible tourism.

If the cost of living is high in either area, tourists may not be able to financially access tourism.

Exchange rates are particularly important in international tourism .

Tourists who are based in a country with a strong currency (such as the UK, the USA, Australia ) are naturally at an economic advantage over tourists who live in countries with weaker countries.

This is because their money goes further when they travel abroad, particularly if they choose to travel to a destination with a currency that is weaker than the currency used in their home country.

Accessible tourism: Social factors

There are also many social factors that contribute to accessible tourism. I will introduce you to these below.

Accessible tourism is dependant on whether a person has the free time to spend on tourism.

Many countries around the world now offer their employees paid leave each year. This has resulted in a growth in tourism because people have more available leisure time.

Whether you have a lot of time to spend on travel and tourism or not can be dependant on the type of employment that you have.

For me, one of the reasons that I work in education is so that I have lots of free leisure time to travel!

However, some jobs do not offer such flexibility and may offer reduced leisure time.

A person’s physical ability to take part in tourism is a key contributor to accessible tourism.

This includes physical disabilities, illnesses and health that is effected by age.

There are many things that tourism stakeholders can do to ensure that tourism is accessible such as providing ramps for people who are in wheelchairs, brail cards for the blind and lifts for those who find stairs challenging.

Accessible tourism should enable people to access tourism no matter what stage of life they are in. This means that there should be facilities for young children, such as ramps of buggies, as well as facilities for the elderly.

Tourism destinations should try to differentiate the products that they have on offer to cater for people of all ages.

Education may have an impact on how accessible tourism is for a person.

For example, it has been a long debated topic about whether students should be allowed to take holidays during the school term. Prices invariably rise as soon as school breaks up, meaning that some families can no longer afford the tourism products that are on offer.

Different people come from different social environments and this should not make tourism any more or less accessible.

A social environment could be centred around a particular culture or religion, for example.

It could also be related to particular hobbies and interests.

Some people have more access to transport than others. This is commonly noted when comparing city living to rural living. In towns and cities there is typically a wider range of transport options than in rural areas.

In fact, transport accessibility is one of the greatest challenges that the rural tourism industry faces.

Psychological factors

Psychological factors also play a significant role in accessible tourism. Here is a summary:

If a person is not motivated to visit a certain area, they probably won’t- it’s as simple as that!

A person’s cultural attitude can be an important factor in accessible tourism.

For example, people want to feel that their culture will be treated with respect.

Some people think they are superior or inferior to others, and if this is the case then they may not wish to travel to a particular area in which they hold this view.

The image of a destination is a key factor in determining if a person may be likely to visit.

Many of us want to visit Thailand because of the many images of exotic beaches that we can see, for example.

However, some people may not want to travel to Thailand because they perceive it to be a bad country because of the poverty levels or because of sex tourism in Thailand .

This demonstrates that perception also plays a key role in accessible tourism.

Many people prefer to travel to a destination because they are familiar with it.

This may be because they have travelled to said destination before, or it may be because they have seen their favourite influencer talk about it on Instagram .

Familiarity with a destination can be a motivational factor.

Sometimes tourists feel that they have a ‘connection’ to a place.

In some instances this may be a physical connection- a family member may live there or the tourist may have a strong history in the area.

In other cases tourists may feel that they have a psychological connection with a place. They may affiliate with the culture or the ‘feel’ of the place.

Whilst for some people, distance is no issue, other people prefer to stay closer to home.

And some people prefer not to travel to particular areas or using particular modes of transport because of fear.

A person made be afraid of flying, for example.

Another factor that can influence accessible tourism is uncertainty that a person may have in their future.

Many people may not want to go on holiday if they have worries over aspects such as their job security or money.

The 2020 Coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated more than ever that people are nervous to travel when there are political, economic and health uncertainties.

Broader factors (macro-determinants)

Alongside the environmental, social and economic factors that influence accessible tourism, there are also several macro-determinants which can play a key role. Some examples include:

Destinations that are experiencing or that have recently experience terrorist attacks are unlikely to be accessible tourism destinations.

e.g. New York after the 9/11 attacks, Tunisia after the shootings in 2015, Bali after the bombing in 2002.

Areas that have ongoing war are also unlikely to be accessible tourism destinations.

One exception is Israel. Israel continues to welcome tourists, despite ongoing feuds with Palestine. I watched rockets being shot out of then sky when I was there, it was pretty scary. You can read all about that here.

Destinations that are experiencing political instability are not likely to welcome tourists with open arms.

They also often receive a lot of negative media attention, which can impact tourist motivations to travel to the area in the near future.

e.g. Thailand Bangkok riots in 2018, Egyptian revolution in 2011.

If a person does not feel safe and secure in a destination, they may not feel that it is accessible.

There are many parts of Africa and Central America that revive fewer visitors for this reason.

Many tourists will avoid travelling to areas that have disease.

This has never been more prevalent than the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, which has a devastating impact on the tourism industry.

Natural disasters often hit tourist destinations hard.

The 2001 tsunami, the Nepalese earthquake in 2015 and Hurricane Katrina in the USA in 2005 all had terrible consequences for the tourism sector.

Many people do not want to be faced with particular social conditions when they go on holiday.

This may be things such as poverty, gun crime or smoking.

Many tourists do not want to experience tourism in poor areas.

The economic conditions here mean that accessible tourism is not achieved.

Other people are influenced by levels of development.

Many less economically developed countries do not experience the same levels of tourism is Western nations because of their inferior levels of development.

This include aspects such as an underdeveloped airport or road infrastructure.

In some parts of the world the Government may not have a favourable attitude towards tourism.

There could be a lot of corruption, for example. Or there could be high taxes on tourism activities.

Some people choose not to travel to particular areas because of the laws or restrictions placed upon them.

A common example of this is people who are in same-sex relationships who wish to visit destinations in The Middle East. Rules and punishments for same-sex relationships shown in public can be severe; making tourism inaccessible for some.

Some areas are not accessible destinations because they lack the sources required for tourism.

Perhaps the area does not have a well developed road infrastructure or enough water to fill the hotel swimming pool, for example.

Attractions can be a big draw to a destinations for tourists. Likewise, a lack of attractions may put tourists off.

Mega-events can often result in overtourism and congestion.

Mega-events could be the reason a person visits the area, but it could also put a person off visiting.

In order for accessible tourism to be achieved, all types of visitors should be made aware of what is on offer.

This is where good marketing and promotion come in.

Lastly, technology can have a significant influence on whether accessible tourism is achieved or not.

Nowadays, many people will rely on technology for research purposes and to book the components of their holiday .

Therefore, those who do not have adequate access to such technology may be disadvantaged.

There are many strategies that tourism destinations and organisations can use to implement accessible tourism. This includes:

• Encouraging policies and actions to support social tourism at all levels
• Ensuring universal adherence to workers’ leave entitlement, safeguarding this aspect of social security guaranteed by the European social model 
• Designing and adapting tourism facilities and sites to meet physical disability needs
• Improving information relevant to disabled people and under-privileged groups 
• Encouraging a broad price range in tourism facilities and experiences 
• Pursuing specific schemes to facilitate and encourage holiday-taking by people on low incomes, such as the holiday voucher systems run in some countries based on tax incentives and involving governments and operators
• Having effective marketing and promotion strategies

Accessible tourism is not a luxury, it is a right. Everybody should have access to tourism.

In order for tourism to be sustainable, it should do its upmost to development and implement accessible tourism where possible. This will inevitably have positive outcomes for the overall business development. As I have explained in this article, the three keys areas of the environment, economy and society should be considered when planning for accessible tourism.

To learn more about accessible tourism, I suggest that you consult the texts listed below.

• Accessible Tourism: Concepts and Issues – This book sets out to explore and document the current theoretical approaches, foundations and issues in the study of accessible tourism.
• Best Practice in Accessible Tourism: Inclusion, Disability, Ageing Population and Tourism – It brings together global expertise in planning, design and management to inform and stimulate providers of travel, transport, accommodation, leisure and tourism services to serve guests with disabilities, seniors and the wider markets that require good accessibility. 

What do FIT, IIT, and GIT terms mean in the travel industry?

In the tourism industry, there are certain terms that can be confusing for travellers. FIT, IIT, and GIT are three such terms that often cause confusion. Understanding the meaning of these terms is essential for a smooth travel experience. In this article, we will explore what FIT, IIT, and GIT mean in the tourism industry and how they differ from each other.

FIT: Free Independent Traveler

Definition of fit.

FIT stands for Free Independent Traveler. It refers to individuals who prefer to travel independently without being part of a tour group. As a FIT traveller, you have the freedom to plan and customize your trip according to your preferences. You can choose your own accommodations, transportation, and activities without relying on a tour operator.

Examples of FIT Tours

FIT tours encompass various forms of independent travel. Some popular examples include solo backpacking trips, self-guided tours, and customized itineraries. FIT travellers often seek unique experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations, and the freedom to explore at their own pace.

Advantages of FIT Travel

FIT travel offers several advantages:

Flexibility : You have the freedom to design your itinerary and make changes as per your preferences.

Personalization : You can tailor your trip to your interests, choosing activities and destinations that align with your preferences.

Authenticity : FIT travel allows for a more immersive cultural experience, as you have the opportunity to interact with locals and explore local communities.

Independence : You are not bound by the schedules and constraints of a group tour, giving you the freedom to explore at your own leisure.

GIT: Group Inclusive Tour

Definition of git.

GIT stands for Group Inclusive Tour. In a GIT, travellers join a pre-arranged tour package where they travel with other tourists as part of a group. The tour package includes accommodations, transportation, and guided activities.

Examples of GIT Tours

GIT tours cater to travellers who prefer the convenience of travelling in a group. Examples of GIT tours include family vacations, organized group sightseeing tours, and adventure tours where participants share common experiences and activities.

Advantages of GIT Travel

GIT travel offers several advantages:

Convenience : All travel arrangements, including accommodations, transportation, and activities, are pre-organized, saving you the time and effort of planning.

Socialization : Traveling in a group provides opportunities to meet and interact with fellow travellers, fostering new friendships and shared experiences.

Guided Experience : GIT tours often include the services of a knowledgeable guide who provides insights and commentary about the destinations visited.

Cost Savings : Group tours can offer discounted rates and shared expenses, making them more cost-effective compared to individual arrangements.

IIT: Independent Inclusive Tour

Definition of iit.

In addition to FIT and GIT, there is another type of tour known as the Independent Inclusive Tour (IIT). IIT allows travellers to enjoy the benefits of group travel while still having the freedom to customize their itinerary.

Examples of IIT Tours

IIT tours are designed for travellers who desire some level of independence while still enjoying the convenience of group travel. Examples of IIT tours include small group tours with flexible itineraries, private guided tours with customizable activities, and themed tours catering to specific interests.

Advantages of IIT Travel

IIT travel offers a unique combination of group and independent travel:

Flexibility : IIT tours provide a balance between structured group activities and free time to explore independently.

Customization : Travelers can personalize their itinerary by choosing from a range of activities and destinations offered within the tour.

Social Interaction : IIT tours allow for socialization with like-minded travellers during group activities, providing opportunities for shared experiences.

Personal Attention : With smaller group sizes, IIT tours often provide a more personalized and intimate experience compared to larger group tours.

No, FIT tours are suitable for both solo travellers and small groups who prefer to travel independently.

Most GIT tours have scheduled activities, but some may offer free time for independent exploration. It’s best to check the tour itinerary before booking.

IIT tours can vary in price depending on the level of customization and services included. Some IIT tours may be more expensive, while others may offer cost-effective options.

GIT tours generally have fixed itineraries and limited customization options. If you seek more flexibility, an IIT tour may be a better choice.

There are typically no age restrictions for these tours. However, some specialized tours may have specific age requirements or activity limitations.

GIT tours are often preferred by families as they provide convenience, pre-arranged accommodations, and suitable activities for different age groups.

In conclusion, FIT, IIT, and GIT are terms used in the tourism industry to describe different types of travel experiences. FIT allows for independent and personalized travel, while GIT offers the convenience of group travel with pre-arranged arrangements. IIT combines elements of both, providing flexibility and customization within a group setting. Choosing the right type of tour depends on individual preferences, travel style, and desired level of independence. Consider your preferences, budget, and desired travel experience when selecting between FIT, IIT, and GIT tours.

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• All arrangements and publicity for concerts and performances, including exchanges with local groups; singing during services/mass; informal/impromptu performances; participation in Festivals
• Group airfares to and from destination; deviation arrangements pending airline policy
• Group accommodations in any hotels categories decided in consultation with the group leader. Limited number of single rooms available for a surcharge. If requested possible accommodation in youth hostel or students housing. All rooms with private facility.
• Standard contract include breakfasts plus one other meal including a welcome and Farewell Dinner. Any adjustments can be made in consultation with the group leader
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Virtual Inclusion

Inclusive Virtual Experience

What is an inclusive virtual experience.

Select your business type to find out more:

• 95% of people in a recent accessibility survey said that they try to find access information prior to visiting a venue.
• 86% of these stated that when looking online, they find a business’ access information to be misleading, inaccurate or confusing.
• 92% of people, when thinking about accessibility in the survey said that they do not feel very confident about visiting new places.
• 85% find information about disabled access before they visit somewhere by checking the company’s website.
• Inaccurate data has a direct impact on the bottom line of 88% of companies, with the average company losing 12% of its revenue.
• Bad customer service is costing UK companies over £37bn a year.
• 79% of people will avoid a brand or company if they have received poor service in the past.
• Dealing with accessibility enquiries can take 4 times longer than general enquiries.
• Contractors, temporary staff, visitors coming on-site? Show them the location before they arrive.
• As the population and workforce continue to grow more diverse, companies will need to focus on creating company cultures, experiences and products that speak to a wide range of identities and perspectives, with a strong focus on their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
• Everyone wants things to be simple, functional and easy to use, whether that is an app, a website or in-store experiences. Once you have inclusive design at the heart of your digital projects you will deliver better products and services – which is a vital part of how to improve your customers experience  and CSR of your brand.
• In the UK, the spending power of disabled people and their households is worth £249bn per annum.
• Globally, the accessible tourism market alone is an emerging market the size of China, with over £5.5tr to spend each year.
•  86% of people are more likely to visit somewhere new if they can find relevant access information about the venue.
• 70% of Europeans with accessibility needs have both the financial and physical capacity to travel
• 86% are likely to make a return visit where somewhere has good accessibility and/or accessibility information.

Why use a  Inclusive Virtual Experience?

How to build an inclusive virtual experience.

• Improving your customer experience
• Showcasing the accessibility of your business
• Marketing your destination
• Increasing revenue

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No barriers: the benefits of creating an inclusive experience

Words:  Steven Swaby

| 5 min read

Delivering inclusive design should be a key part of every project , not an afterthought

By  Steven Swaby ,  Sarner International

We are seeing a long-overdue increase in awareness of inclusivity in museums, theme parks and visitor experiences. But there is still more to do in order to reach a wider audience of visitors who might be feeling excluded.

Immersive storytelling offers more inclusive visitor experience s

Following recent consultations with the Gozo government and the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability and the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility, Sarner International has upgraded its award-winning Cittadella Visitors’ Centre to improve accessibility for guests with hearing and visual impairments. This means that these visitors can now fully immerse themselves in this highly innovative heritage attraction.

Situated at the heart of the beautiful island of Gozo, Malta, the Visitors’ Centre uses the dramatic underground architecture of the Cittadella to interweave a narrative of history, legend and landscape via the latest immersive technologies. It connects past and present, people and place – storytelling that achieves emotional connections and doesn’t just present facts.

Working with audio-visual technology specialists tonwelt , the Sarner team added new custom multimedia guides that do more than just provide tailored accessible tours of the attraction, available in eight languages.

Sophisticated but user-friendly, the guides also extend the immersive experience in several other ways. A noise-reducing audio track automatically subdues the sound of the room, making speech clearer for people with hearing aids or impaired hearing. Subtitled content on the device screen also makes multimedia content more accessible. In addition, braille keyboards can access audio-descriptive versions of each exhibit for blind or partially sighted visitors.

This creative and cost-effective solution has enabled a wider audience to engage in the region’s remarkable history.

A toolkit for inclusive experiences

And the Cittadella Visitors’ Centre isn’t just an isolated example. The delivery of inclusive and innovative design should be a key objective in each and every project, ensuring that content solutions provide an equally rewarding experience for all visitors .

Sarner is continually exploring ways in which wider, better accessibility can be achieved. Over its 50 years of experience in the industry, it has developed a toolkit that allows it to help its clients welcome and engage with visitors of all backgrounds.

Designing smart

Sarner always aims to make its design fully accessible, looking at how to address the needs of the widest possible range of physical and mental conditions. It’s not always just about mobility and access, and neither is it necessarily a matter of budget, either. Technology and know-how have come a long way in providing cost-effective solutions.

Engaging the senses

By creating multisensory experiences, immersive design has a major advantage over limited, less inclusive traditional approaches. By connecting with touch, hearing, smell and even taste, a wider range of visitors can have a far more rewarding experience.

The Met in New York is an example of this. Their multisensory stations allow visitors to explore exhibits using all of the senses. Multisensory books, sculpture and audio paintings are an integral part of the museum experience.

In London, the V&A Museum has been offering tactile events for visually impaired visitors since the 1980s. And now 3D printing to make touchable replica objects is also being explored by many museums around the world.

Controlling the experience

Providing calm areas that allow for downtime, regrouping and contemplation are important for a wide range of visitors. But having greater control of show modes is also key for providing a better experience for visitors with special needs.

Tailored show control allows for session-by-session adjustment of sound volumes, image intensity and overall lighting levels, in the same way that some cinemas offer “autism-friendly screenings”. Having that sort of control at your fingertips allows attractions to deliver a far more adaptable and welcoming visitor experience for all.

Be seen, be heard

Better sightlines and larger text for visitors with limited vision and subtitles for the hearing impaired are simple considerations. But they go a long way in making more inclusive experiences.

Legibility at all stages of text design is standard good practice. It’s also worth remembering that contrast is more important than the size of the text. So, it isn’t just a case of making things bigger!

For hearing-impaired visitors, signed content delivered directly to a user’s device is also proving a popular and effective mode. For instance, The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre has developed a Jodi Award-winning app. Here, exhibit signposts trigger signed video content.

Thinking holistically

Diversity, equality and inclusion can be promoted seamlessly as part of the exhibition content and associated public programming.

Pre- and post-visit audience engagement can go a long way in achieving a better understanding of needs, expectations, what works and what could be improved. It can also build a closer relationship between audience and host. People tend to appreciate it if they feel they are being listened to. And who better to advise on enabling effective participation than the end-users!

Know your kit

Finally, staff training is essential for creating and maintaining smooth, welcoming and inclusive experiences. Operational staff should be familiar with the ins and outs of hand-held devices and show controls as well as other visitor experience tech. Awareness of special needs enables a more effective and rewarding experience for both visitors and staff alike. Proper training really does invest in everyone.

In conclusion, it is genuinely encouraging to see social responsibility becoming a guiding principle that is shaping exhibitions and attractions around the globe. The inclusive power of immersive storytelling is a fantastic resource, and it’s there to be tapped into.

• Visitor experience
• Museum technology
• Museum suppliers
• Accessibility
• Museum management
• Museum design

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Expedia Group Media Solutions

The importance of diversity and inclusion in advertising.

By Expedia Group Media Solutions

August 28, 2024

At Expedia Group, we operate with a core belief that travel is a force for good and a mission that travel should be accessible for everyone, everywhere. Like many industries, travel has not been accessible to people of all abilities and backgrounds, and the desire to challenge that continues to shape our core belief. Despite positive intent, these challenges can range from physical barriers for people with disabilities to safety and acceptance concerns for people of color or those in the LGBTQIA+ communities and beyond. 

The Journeys for All: An Expedia Group Study on Inclusion in Travel offers insight into the shared experiences of underserved travelers who face significant barriers to accessing products or services. These challenges stem from factors such as race, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, disability, economic status, and geographic location. The study reveals that for 42% of underserved travelers, their identity impacts what travel options they choose and where they feel comfortable traveling. 

By examining the travel experiences of Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+, and travelers with disabilities — from planning and research to on-property — we’ve identified challenges and pain points that need the travel industry’s attention and action to make travel more accessible for everyone.  

Together, we have an opportunity and the imperative to improve travelers’ experiences, helping them feel safer, respected, and more welcome. Action is rooted in understanding, and this research is part of our commitment to help the industry — and Expedia Group — act.  

We pulled together key insights to highlight the importance of inclusive advertising and share best practices for creating inclusive marketing campaigns. 

Traveler identity impacts choice  

Underserved travelers represent a growing population that makes up a larger share of the global travel market each year. As their impact and influence on the travel market continues to grow, it’s crucial for travel businesses to build strategies that embrace inclusive practices and prioritize welcoming travel experiences.  

For underserved travelers, their identities impact their travel choices more than the general population — from their trip destination and where they stay to how they get there. Embracing diversity and inclusion is not only best practice — it’s also smart business.  

Brands that actively support diversity and inclusion are more likely to see repeat business from these traveler groups, as underserved travelers, including Latino travelers (57%), Black travelers (53%), and travelers with disabilities (53%), are more likely to book again with brands that promote diversity, more so than the general population (48%).  

What this means for advertisers

Underserved travelers prioritize brands that promote diversity and inclusion, so it’s important to reflect your commitment to these values at every traveler touchpoint, including in your marketing efforts.  

When using imagery to highlight your destination or property, select diverse images that encompass a variety of ages, genders, race, and more. Use the ability our solutions offer to create customized content that speaks directly to the diversity of travelers you’re trying to attract. By developing an inclusive marketing strategy, you’ll not only broaden your audience but also build trust and loyalty among this group of travelers.  

Why inclusive advertising matters to travelers

Travel brands have many opportunities to forge authentic connections with underserved travelers and promote their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Representation in travel advertising is especially important and can make or break traveler choices, including where they travel to and what accommodations they choose. Three-fourths (76%) of underserved travelers say it’s important for travel ads to represent people like them. That number can be as high as 82% for Black travelers and 81% for Latino travelers. 

However, only 16% of travelers — both underserved and the general population — feel that travel promotions represent them authentically. This lack of representation can be the difference between them traveling or staying home.  

Among all underserved traveler identity groups, representation in travel promotions leads to a higher likelihood of taking a trip, as much as 78% of Latino and 73% of LGBTQIA+ travelers. This is even more pronounced for travelers with intersectional identities. Latino travelers with disabilities (80%), LGBTQIA+ travelers with disabilities (76%), and Black travelers with disabilities (69%) said that seeing people like them in promotions increases their likelihood to travel.  

What this means for advertisers  

Underserved travelers want to see people like them represented in travel content because it makes them feel welcome and understood, which can inspire them to explore new places and try new experiences. Integrating diversity in your advertising strategies in an intentional and authentic way will go a long way for these groups and increase their likelihood of booking travel with you.  

To develop authentic inclusive advertising campaigns, it’s important to represent a variety of identities and experiences, as well as acknowledge intersectionality in your campaign imagery and messaging. As you create your campaigns, be mindful of resonance and relevance, and align your messaging and tone with a diverse set of travelers that spans race, gender, age, abilities, couples, and more.  

Guidelines and best practices for an inclusive marketing strategy

Underserved travelers want to feel welcomed, safe, and accepted, and representation matters when they are shopping for and booking travel. One way to help these groups feel understood and embraced is by improving representation in your advertising.  

How can your brand be more inclusive? Below is a snapshot of some best practices from our Inclusion & Diversity in Travel Advertising Guidelines to keep in mind as you build out your inclusive marketing strategy.  

Use diverse imagery 

Be thoughtful in representing a variety of perspectives and use diverse imagery throughout your content. If you are using multiple photos in a piece of content, always keep inclusion and diversity in mind, and strive to respect cultures worldwide and depict them authentically and respectfully.  

• Avoid using images that may portray local cultures as a parody or mockery.  
• Avoid using stereotypes and consider whether a character portrayed is in a position of power.  

With display advertising , you can work with our team to develop thoughtfully built ad placements featuring diverse imagery to resonate with travelers of different backgrounds and abilities.  

Use inclusive and respectful language  

Use inclusive, welcoming, and respectful language across all marketing and listings. This includes using gender-neutral language that is not biased toward a particular sex or social representation of gender. 

Avoid using language that could result in a negative connotation. For example, rather than saying you offer “white-glove service,” pivot to more neutral messaging like “top-tier service.” Don’t use language that connotes helplessness, dependency, or defeat. Instead, use language that respects people with disabilities as active individuals with control over their lives.  

Our Travel Spotlights offer a highly visual and interactive way for travelers to explore and engage with your brand. Whether you’re highlighting unique cultural experiences that your destination has to offer or showcasing special events and activities around celebrations like Pride Month, we’ll work with you so that your landing page uses inclusive and respectful language to help everyone feel welcomed and valued.  

Focus on accessibility   

For more inclusive hotel advertising, call out amenities and accessibility for travelers of all backgrounds and abilities, such as non-barrier rooms, auxiliary visual alarms, or on-site restaurants. TravelAds Sponsored Listings allow you to customize your advertising copy and images to highlight your hotel’s accessible amenities, reassuring travelers that they are welcomed and can be accommodated at your property.  

If using video in your advertising, feature closed captioning and subtitles. For general copy and design, use contrasting font and background colors to ensure copy is clear and easily legible, and if you use hashtags, capitalize the first letter of each word, for example, #FlyWithXyzAir.  

Download the full guide for more tips and recommendations on how to build more inclusive marketing campaigns that represent and cater to all travelers.  

Inclusive advertising on the world’s leading travel media network

We all recognize the significance of creating a more welcoming and accessible travel industry. By better understanding the needs, preferences, and challenges of underserved travelers and their expectations of the travel industry, you can create more meaningful connections with and better serve diverse audiences.  

Our experts are here to help guide your strategies and effectively connect you with underserved travelers across our powerful platform . We also offer solutions that are compatible with advertisers of every size and budget to help you bring your inclusive advertising campaign to life. We can even help connect you with other brands that share your marketing goals for a strategic co-op campaign that will help you amplify your marketing spend to make a larger impact.  

If you’re wondering what representation in marketing looks like, watch our immersive video series we created with Visit Panama to promote the destination to travelers looking for their next trip. One episode showcases how travelers of different abilities can experience Panama and features a blind traveler as he explores different locations and activities in the region through his senses of smell, taste, touch, and hearing.  

Learn more about underserved travelers and their expectations of travel brands by downloading Journeys for All: An Expedia Group Study on Inclusion in Trave l. To discover the array of advertising solutions we provide and how your brand can create welcoming and accessible travel content, contact one of our experts today .  

Expedia Group Media Solutions is the world's leading travel media network. We connect advertisers with hundreds of millions of travelers across the globe. Our exclusive first-party data on traveler trends, search behavior, and booking data provides travel marketers with unique insights to inform their strategies. We offer a full-funnel suite of solutions to help you convert travelers, and our digital experts can help you create advertising campaigns that deliver.

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10 Examples of Inclusive Behaviors in the Workplace

Gabriele Culot

June 12, 2024

Last Update

August 30, 2024

Table of Contents

1. hire from a wide variety of backgrounds, 2. ask questions regularly, 3. create a system for addressing misunderstandings and resolving disagreements, 4. address inequalities through transparent dialogue, 5. listen to all voices during meetings, 6. provide a safe space for employees to feel respected, 7. support cross-departmental mentorships, 8. celebrate multicultural holidays, 9. frequently assess pay structure and compensation, 10. be conscious of biases, create an inclusive work environment with deel.

Investing in workplace diversity has never been as valuable and essential as it is today. With easy access to a global  talent pool  come previously unexpected challenges and rewards for companies that can think ahead. In this post, we explore ten examples of inclusion in the workplace, tips on how to implement inclusion, and the benefits of diversity for successful teams and organizations.

As societies become more open and interconnected, awareness of inclusion and diversity is rising. This is true in business as well, and research indicates a  link between diversity and a company’s financial performance . Gender and ethnic diversity, for example, are linked to higher profitability.

Other factors that help create and define an inclusive workplace, depending on how they are addressed, include sexual orientation, mental health, disabilities, minority status, and more. These factors hold immense value when it comes to shaping a company culture that values diverse talent and employees that can be their authentic selves.

If you’re looking for ways to create a more inclusive workplace culture with a remote team, consider the following tips and examples as a starting point.

Hiring employees from diverse backgrounds and building diverse teams are crucial steps toward creating a company culture of inclusion. Proactively implementing employee inclusion strategies in your hiring processes will also improve your chances of attracting professionals from different minorities organically. Your company culture will grow richer and more inclusive as a result.

A  diverse workforce also drives financial performance  by attracting customers from different backgrounds and facilitating diverse input and feedback into products and services. Moreover, diverse hiring practices also improve productivity. For example, research shows that cognitively diverse teams can  solve problems 60 percent faster  than those that are not.

Ways to ensure your hiring is truly open to everyone include: 

• Networking with professional organizations that represent diverse groups
• Leveraging employee resource groups (ERGs)
• Initiating an internship program focused on uplifting and including candidates from different backgrounds
• Launching an  employee referral program

Managers and HR teams that hone their inclusive leadership skills will proactively and regularly ask questions to determine their employees’ sense of inclusion in the workplace. When employees feel included, they are more engaged and productive. This, in turn, boosts profitability.

A  Deloitte study  revealed that comfort is the biggest driver of belonging. Employees want to feel fairly treated and empowered to offer opinions and unique ideas. Without asking regular questions, bias may misguide employers.

Some ways to effectively gather honest feedback from employees include:

• Pulse surveys 
• Focus groups
• Regular  1-on-1 feedback meetings  
• Watercooler conversations (virtual or on-site)

Many employee performance issues are caused by unresolved conflicts in the workplace. Issues that could often be quickly addressed early on easily balloon out of control, affecting morale and productivity. Moreover, conflict can negatively affect employee experience to the point it drives people to leave the organization, with potentially heavy consequences on top talent retention.

Cultural differences and biases can lead to conflict and misunderstandings even with the best intentions. Environments that can effectively address these challenges through established conflict-resolution processes can significantly improve employee motivation and satisfaction, as a thriving company culture will see better employee synergy and an increased sense of belonging. 

Different ways to manage conflict include:

• Addressing issues immediately and openly
• Setting clear expectations
• Practicing active listening
• Using neutral terms and open body language during disagreements
• Verbally recognizing and respecting personal and cultural differences
• Identifying points of agreement and disagreement
• Creating a safe space to discuss and work through conflict
• Investigating any accusatory remarks
• Agreeing on outcomes (and sticking to the plan)

Addressing biases, stereotypes, and inequality is always challenging. Still, it’s essential to host conversations on these topics to help identify unconscious biases and challenge existing belief systems.

A workplace that encourages and supports transparent communication is more collaborative and trustworthy. As a leader, communicating openly sets an example for the rest of the team and increases sharing of ideas. 

Some discussions can be uncomfortable, such as unequal pay or allegations of sexual harassment. Make sure to listen critically and address them openly and honestly.

There are three main aspects to consider when addressing inequalities through dialogue:

• Ensure communication is timely and relevant
• Align communication and action with the organization’s values
• Answer questions honestly and provide reasons for opinions or decisions

As we mentioned above,  gender diversity on executive teams  has a notable connection with profitability and value creation. Data also shows that varied ethnicity and cultural diversity correlate with profitability. 

Yet, inclusion efforts to build diverse teams are only part of what it takes to be genuinely inclusive. Teams also need to ensure that all groups of people and all individual voices are represented during meetings by balancing the dominant ones with the thoughts and opinions of introverts. This is especially true in remote environments, where being visible and actively included can be even more challenging.

The following practices help ensure everyone is heard and can help boost employee engagement:

• Champion the voices of introverts by actively asking to hear their opinions
• Credit ideas to the original source even if the individual is not in the meeting
• Connect with introverts and quiet team members offline
• Reduce intimidating factors by having fewer meetings with fewer attendees
• Avoid putting team members on the spot by requesting that they prepare ideas or opinions in advance
• Use the right tools for virtual meetings, such as  GoWall , which allows people to post ideas or vote for decisions in an anonymous way

A Deloitte study shows that  businesses with an inclusive culture  are two times more likely to exceed financial targets, three times more likely to be high performing, and six times more likely to be innovative and agile. According to the study, fairness and respect are fundamental in the inclusion model. 

Commitment to inclusion and diversity starts with a leadership devoted to publicly supporting and enforcing a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) agenda. These efforts should cascade through the organization and create a structure that enables a safe and inclusive environment for employees and co-workers to interact and collaborate while always feeling respected and valued.

Methods of creating a safe space that focuses on workplace inclusion are:

• Setting non-negotiable ground rules for language 
• Co-creating rules of engagement with employees
• Implementing zero-tolerance policies for gossip

Adding your DEI policy and rules regarding respect and safety to your  employee handbook  can be a very effective way to ensure everyone understands and subscribes to your company culture from the moment they are onboarded.

A diverse team will include employees from all walks of life, including different geographical locations, cultures, and generations.

Implementing cross-departmental mentorship programs will help change power relations and expose team members to learning opportunities beyond their roles. 

Follow these guidelines when establishing cross-departmental mentoring:

• Prepare consistent, organized, and planned processes
• Communicate the goals and expectations of the program
• Manage resistance through open communication
• Consider personality, preferences, and motivation when pairing employees

One of the easiest and most practical inclusion initiatives is to observe and learn about multicultural holidays. 

There are various ways multicultural holidays can be celebrated in the workplace. For example, if the team works in a central office, you can host a potluck gathering and ask each member to bring a typical dish from their tradition. Or, you can grant employees paid time off to celebrate the cultural holidays they are connected to.

Consider the following tips when celebrating multicultural holidays in the workplace:

• Be conscious of employee backgrounds when preparing holiday initiatives
• Be aware of alcohol and dietary requirements when hosting in-person events
• Make holidays optional
• Take note of inclusive cultural celebrations such as Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March, and Pride Month in June, even ones that are not part of your own tradition

Diversity and inclusion don’t just have to do with aspects external to the company, such as employees’ gender identity or cultural background. There are many factors that, if incorrectly managed, can lead employees to feel disrespected and excluded. Employee compensation is an excellent example of this.

The world of employment evolves quickly, and it can be easy for compensation strategies and policies to become outdated or not reflective of a changing market, or growing organization. It’s important to ensure teams and individuals are not left behind regarding how your company rewards their work.

You can start making sure your compensation structure promotes inclusion by following practices that include:

• Introducing fair and equitable compensation programs
• Introducing wage transparency policies 
• Communicating your strategy and roadmap regularly and openly

These steps will help develop camaraderie between teammates, empowering them to speak up against perceived inequalities. Moreover, actively focusing on compensation will provide your human resources team with valuable insights and analytics. These are useful to determine whether team members are being paid a competitive rate, especially when operating on a global scale. 

In some countries, these analyses are compulsory for addressing the gender pay gap. For example,  Swiss companies with more than 100 employees  must perform a gender pay gap analysis. 

As the workplace is becoming more diverse, there is more pressure on businesses to address unconscious biases that often seep into workplace relations. The cost of unconscious bias is an estimated  $64 billion each year , including the cost of losing and replacing workers due to unfairness and discrimination, but not legal costs in the event of litigation.

Beyond being expensive, bias impacts how you evaluate talent, judge performance, assign work, and give promotions. It’s essential to consider and address how unconscious biases affect your work environment and processes when working to build a more inclusive environment that values equal opportunities.

• Measure and monitor the impact bias has on the business
• Question each decision through a bias filter
• Create inclusive meeting practices to reduce biased behaviors and decision-making
• Encourage supportive communication
• Be transparent about your hiring and promotion process
• Hold leaders accountable
• Have clear criteria for evaluating qualifications and performance

Proactively adding bias training to your  employee onboarding  is another very useful way to ensure your company values are openly talked about and discussed.

Deel provides HR managers and C-suite leaders with the tools they need to support employees from different backgrounds and all walks of life, wherever they are. From effective onboarding practices to helping build lasting connections between teammates, Deel offers an effective and holistic solution to help you develop an inclusive company. 

Get in touch  to learn more about Deel's products.

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About the author

Gabriele Culot is a content manager and writer passionate about exploring the future of work and its opportunities. An advocate of remote and flexible work models, he is a strong believer in their power to expand access to opportunities and help build richer and more diverse connections. At Deel, he focuses on worker-related and community content, from immigration guides to workplace innovation, from digital nomad lifestyle to workplace wellbeing.

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Tour Package

Package holidays, popularly known as a tour package or simply the word ‘tour’ in the travel and tourism industry refers either to a package tour escorted or not escorted by the tourist guide.

When we say tour package, it means a pre-arrangement, prepaid trip that combines two or more travel components like airfare, airport transfer, accommodation, and other services . Practically, to define the tour package concept is complex one rather understand.

Holloway defines a tour package as “a total tourism product consisting of transportation from the market area to the destination, accommodation at the destination and recreational activities promoted by the tourists.”

According to Gregorg “a tour package is advertised journey including specific features, arranged and promoted with tour literature by a tour operator and paid for in full by the tourists  before starting the tour.”

Technically, a package tour/tour package is a total tourism product as it generally includes transport from the origin place to the destination, accommodation at an en route place or at the destination and other recreational or travel services. These components are purchased by an individual, firm or company called the ‘ tour operator ‘. He combines all the travel components in a package and sells them at all-inclusive prices to the clients.

History of Tour Package

The term ‘tour’ was in vogue as early as 1670. The Britishers traveled to widen their knowledge of the continent, especially to study the culture and social life. This practice was gradually adopted by other lovers of cultural centers.

The result of the process was that many European historic and cultural centers were opened to the British tourist. By the early 1730’s the small fishing resorts around the British coast begin to attract tourists seeking to their diseases by drinking the sea-water or by immersing themselves in it.

The introduction of a rail link between the major centers in 1830, had a profound impact on the pleasure travelers for the first time. Many entrepreneurs began to inspire rail travel by organizing excursions for the public at discounted offers.

However, to ‘the origin of package tour’ the credit goes to Mr. Thomas Cook in 1855 , Cook, extended his business operation to different countries by introducing the first ‘ inclusive tour ‘ to Paris.

Mr. Cook put together all the components of tourism products and sold them as ‘inclusive tour’ to the tourists. His pre-packaged tour inspired other tour organizations in the travel industry to organize similar tours to all parts of the globe.

Most of Cook’s tours were a linear tour i.e., the person went from place to place on a single destination. Basically, Mr. Cook developed the concept of ‘grand tour and escorted tour’, the concept which is still used.

Incidentally, World War II has tremendously developed the package tour concept because of the following reasons:

• Social and Economic Conditions
• Increase in Aircrafts
• Marketing Conditions
• Legal Requirements
• Integration took place.

Today, package tours are a vital segment of the world’s travel and tourism industry. According to WTTC, the package tour sales generate $25 billion annually in the United States, $18 billion in Europe, $19 billion in Britain, and $21 billion in Asia. Today tour sales represented 50 percent of all leisure travel sales and 35 percent of all travel agency revenues.

Types of Tour Packages

A travel agency/tour operator deals with variety of ‘tour packages,’ catering to the diverse needs of tourists such as adventure, beach, architecture, cultural, business, conference, incentive tours, ayurvedic packages, Buddhist, religious, incentive tour, special interest tours, cruise tour group tour, educational tour, heritage, monuments, wildlife lovers, etc. These are broadly classified into five categories :

• Independent Tours
• Escorted Tours

Hosted Tours

• Incentives Travel/Tours

Freedom Tours

Independent tour.

Independent tours are prepared/formulated for those tourists who want to travel independently. The components of such tours are air travel, air transfer, accommodation, travel documents, sightseeing, boat riding, entertainment, and other travel services.

However, in some cases, the tourists are free to purchase every single component separately. Thus, this type of tour provides the tourists considerable freedom to plan the activities according to their own choice.

An independent tour may or may not be an all-inclusive tour. Therefore, tour price varies depending on the type of air travel, air transfer, accommodation and is inclusive of other tour components. The foreign independent travel (FITs) and domestic independent travel (DITs) are examples of an independent tour.

Escorted Tour

When a travel agency includes the services of a well educated and trained tour manager in its package, the tour is called an escorted tour. Basically, escorted tours are meant for those travelers who are planning to visit a foreign country first time.

The escort’s responsibilities and duties are to provide comprehensive information and assistance to the group or individual traveler, at the origin, en route and the destination place. The excursion tours are the example of escorted tours.

A hosted tour means when an agency utilizes the services of another agency at a particular destination. Suppose a group of French tourists is coming to India. When the group arrives in India, they are greeted at the airports by TCI, which assists them in clearing their baggage and transfer them to the hotel.

Their tour-host (TCI) is available to offer device and information about the local attractions and entertainment. Further, when the group arrives at another designation in India, a different travel agency greets them at each tourist spot. Thus, a hosted tour provides the tourists maximum level of pre-arranged and personalized services.

Incentives Travel/Tour

It is a motivational programme or a fully paid holiday which is given to the employees by the enterprises as a reward. Mostly in medium and large-scale companies and usually too distant destinations to spur them in maintaining their track record, to increase output, improve the image and moreover to earn the long period loyalty of the employees.

There are a number of the other packages offered by a tour company such as a custom tour an excursion tour, an adventure, and special interest package tours.

Freedom tours are becoming very popular these days among the working class. These tours are designed as per the choice of tourists. The tourist is free to choose and plan how they want to travel and enjoy their holidays. These types of tours are meant for that kind of people who like to decide how, when, and where to travel.

This tourist may an individual, family, group holidays for families and group travel for business. These tours are promoted and developed by the ORBIT.

Components Of Tour Package

What is to be included in a package tour largely depends and varies from one tour organization to another, or from the one country to another, or from one destination to another and from one market to another market. But there are certain well-defined travel services which always turn a part of a package tour irrespective of the tour operator/travel agency, destination and even the market condition.

If we study and see the package tours offered by Thomas Cook and Sons Ltd., Cox and King Ltd., and other international travel companies, we find that a package tour has two major components. Therefore, a standard package tour has two basic components namely:

• Ground Arrangements

Travel industry experience has shown that the first component, i.e. ‘Travel’ is directly bought by the agency from the principal providers like airlines and transport operators and for ground arrangement, the travel agency management asks the ground operators.

The reason behind buying ground arrangement from a handling agency is that it represents as a ground operator at a particular destination for the numerous tour organizations. Secondly, the price offered by it are much lower than an individual agency obtain. Thirdly, it is very difficult to get credit from the supplier and finally, it ensures professional travel services.

Factor Affecting the Tour Package Formulation

Generally, the business of package tours involves great risk, high breakeven, high-quality product, and competitive prices. Therefore, the tour management requires in-depth tour planning and market survey. However, before a tour is designed the tour manager should take into consideration certain factors which are crucial in the formulation process.

These factors have a profound impact on the tourist’s satisfaction. The main factors are:

• Purpose of Tour
• Choice of Destinations
• Tourist Budget
• Legal Requirement
• Types of Tourist Accommodation
• Tour Period
• Departure and stay information
• Tour price; inflationary condition
• Tour Reference Tools
• Tour Features – political stability
• The relationship between the host and tourist generating nation

Tour Package Design and Selection Process

The quality of a package tour is entirely based on the above factors. Essentially, to design/formulate a travel product, the tour manager has to take the biggest responsibility, intuitiveness, imagination, and innovation coupled with a lot of business activities which range from finding new exotic destinations and planning, organizing or promoting such tour.

The following are the main stages in the tour design and selection process:

1. Initial Research

(i) the destination research.

The decision to develop and formulate a new package is a multi-stage process that involves various positive and negative points/steps. Normally, the idea for a new product comes either from the tour executive within the company due to a review of the questionnaire completed by the previous tour members because of the political, economic and social development in a particular area.

When a tour manager see that a large number of old clients are interested in taking a trip to particular destinations, naturally, those destinations become the nucleus of a new ‘tour concept’.

(ii) Market Research

Since tour package is a complete tourism product, obviously, before formulating/designing this product, market research needs to be analyzed and assessed in a systematic manner. Market  research provides us the answer to the following questions:

• What is the size of the tourism market?
• Who are the existing clients?
• Where do they live?
• Who will be their potential buyers?
• Who are their competitors – their strategy and area of business leisure?
• How many tourist ones want to cater?
• What price will the clients accept?
• What facilities are available and required?
• What are the constraints viz., license, permission, finance, restrictions, taxes, and others?

Once we know the basic components of the package tour, distribution channels, market conditions, constraints in the tourism market, we can develop the marketing strategy. It enables the smooth functioning of the agency and also offers a clear picture of the tour programme. Practically, market research is conducted by the private tour companies/ private tourism enterprises in order to penetrate the market.

2. Itinerary Preparation

By itinerary one means the designing of a programme which one wants to sell and it includes destinations, stopping points, number of days and the travel services that are to be included in the programme. Whether it is a lean season or an offseason, escorted or not escorted, consumer-oriented or readymade tour programme, the itinerary is prepared to identify the origin, destinations, stopping points, accommodations, sightseeing and other travel services on travelers’ trip.

3. Handling Agency or Destination Company

The appointment of handling agency not only ensure excellent travel services to the tourist but also make the operation smooth and profitable. It is a matter of great significance as the success of travel business largely depends upon the clients are actually taken care of during the tour.

It is a positive match between the promised services and tourist’s actual experiences or feelings. Thus, the tour operator should consider the experience of the handling travel agency in the business, the area of operation, reputation, credibility, professional staff, credit facilities and the competitive price in appointing a handling agency.

4. Negotiation

It is another important management decision area in tour designing and planning. Once the decision has been made regarding the destination’s concerning their date, duration and number of clients to be carried during the trip, the tour management starts negotiations with the principals’ suppliers for a normal contract.

Negotiation means talk between the travel companies and the principal suppliers for the terms, conditions, and prices of the components of a tour package. When both parties are satisfied, it leads to a formal or informal contract between them. The tour company negotiates with the following tour vendors/suppliers:

• Accommodation
• Transport Operations- Rail and Road
• Ground Operators
• Cruise Companies
• Car Rental Companies
• The overseas representatives
• Ancillary Service Organizations

5. Coasting and Pricing a Package Tour

The cost of a package tour encompasses the air ticket, the hotel room, car rental, entertainment charges, administrative costs, promotional costs, and other travel services. The confidential tariff helps the travel company in preparing the cost sheet which will enable the concern to determine its price strategy.

Tour pricing is a big factor in the success of the company’s tour programme. The price of a package tour is, whether it is an escorted, independent or hosted the tour, often lower than the combined costs of the same components purchased separately from the principals. However, the purchase price of a travel product is based on three factors: Cost, competition, and demand.

Every tour package sold by a vendor has a quantifiable cost. To produce profit the price paid by the tourists must be greater than the agency’s cost.

6. Tour Brochure

The tour package is an intangible product which has to be purchased by the tourists/clients without inspection and sometimes even without adequate knowledge. In these circumstances, the brochure becomes the principal instrument to perform the major tasks to inform the clients about the products and to pursue them to purchase it.

Designing, printing, and distributions of tour brochures require necessary skills and knowledge about the components of the tour package. Basically, in the era of specialization and intense competition, tour brochure creates awareness and provides the description of the holiday programme.

Thus, tour management should consider various pros and cons while preparing a tour brochure. A brochure should contain the following information:

• Name of the Travel Company
• Means of transport
• Details about destinations
• Accommodation, types, location, meals
• Name of the overseas representative
• Duration of each tour
• Booking, reservation and cancellation conditions
• Details of other services – insurance, currency, entertainmentTravel documents required
• Details of price

7. Development of Reservation System

The next step in tour formulation process is reservation system. The agency management in order to put a package into operation must develop and implement a scientific reservation system. The system depends on whether the reservation is to be handled manually or with a computer working on the distribution method.

Whatever method the agency may adopt, the agency management should always keep in mind the sole objective of the reservation system.

8. Marketing of Tour Package

Once a tour package is ready, travel agency management has to make a careful decision regarding promotion and marketing of the particular package tour. The basic objective of management is to make a tour package widely known to make it more and more attractive.

To achieve these objectives, the management must consider the budget available, promotion mix, potential market, easiest and most effective media, campaigning through the international, regional or the public/private sector etc.

The promotion of a package tour means increasing its sales potential and creating an awareness of the existing and potential markets. The following methods are commonly used to promote package tours:

• Middlemen – Retail Travel Agents, GSA, consolidators
• Familiarization tours
• Building Brand Loyalty
• Encouraging Potential Buyers
• Competitive Market

9. Tour Handling/Actual Tour Operation

After the successful marketing and achieving target sales, the next and final step in the process of tour designing is tour handling. It means an actual operation of tours, which generally includes administrative work and passenger handling like maintaining reservations, handling deposits, sending advice to ground operators, arranging travel representation, analyzing the feedback received from clients/escorts/ground operator and so on.

All this is not an easy task. At every stage, one has to face different types of queries and problems due to lack of coordination and communication.

Significances of Tour Package

Tour package is beneficial to travel companies, travelers, destinations and other organizations which are directly or indirectly involved in the tourism business. The main benefits are:

• Increase the seasonality of a destination cost/price
• Earn foreign currency
• Better quality of products professional services
• Wide-variety of the tour package
• Provide bulk business to organizers

Sample Tour Packages

"We tailor-make our sample tour packages to suit Group Leaders, groups of friends & small families"

View our selection of sample tour packages of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, and perhaps create your own package today.

*Please note sample tour package prices are only a guideline and are subject to change*

Ireland & Northern Ireland Sample Tours

Explore the Island of Ireland with Brack Tours, from the Wild Atlantic Way to Ireland’s Ancient East, the Hidden Heartlands to Dublin’s Fair City, Ireland has something for everybody.

With years of experience in designing tour packages, Brack Tours is your one-stop Ireland vacation specialist. 

We pride ourselves on delivering a genuine, personal service. With our extensive knowledge, we can ensure your trip will be unique, memorable, and most importantly fun. Above all we want to ensure that each client has an authentic Irish experience. 

Monastic Tour of Ireland

Memorable Ireland Tour

Majestic Tour of Ireland

Hidden Gems of Ireland Tour

Charming Irish Castles Tour

Classic Tour of Ireland

Sample Ancestry Group Tour

Captivating Coastal Tour of Ireland

Ireland's Ancient East Tour

Highlights of Ireland Tour

The Irish Whiskey Distillery and Pub Tour

Sci-fi Screen Tour of Ireland

Scotland sample tour packages.

Our team will design an itinerary to suit your budget and ambition to ensure you get the most from your vacation. No matter where you would like your tour to visit, or what special interest you may have, we will package a tour that will deliver an exceptional and memorable experience.

We believe that a Scotland Group Tour is one of the best ways to explore Scotland. Relax, sit back and enjoy the beauty of Scotland. 

Above all, we hope to see you on one of Scotland  Group Tour, be inspired by our sample tours below.

Lochs and Leprechauns Tour

Heather and Shamrock's Tour

Scotland & Northern Ireland Discovery Tour

Scottish Highlands & Celtic Coasts

What sets us apart.

Group Tours with seasoned, local experts:

• Irish-based , owned & locally operated. A more insightful knowledge of Ireland is a consequence of our geographic location.
• A friendly, knowledgeable, experienced, and dedicated team of Irish Travel Specialists.
• Brack Tours’ staff have accumulated over 80 years of travel industry experience . Beginning with tour planning and coordination. Extending to guiding and transportation.
• Our dedicated team is committed to our environmental values through our Green Tourism advocacy.
• Our tour prices are inclusive with no hidden extras or fees .
• We instill a very flexible approach to individual requests
• Our packages are crafted with your satisfaction in mind
• We offer exceptional value for money .

With us, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting and what you’re paying for, so you can focus on creating lifelong memories.

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