Web accessibility begins with adherence to WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), with AA level compliance considered the standard minimum. This involves ensuring accessible colour contrast between text and background, logical content structure, and compatibility with assistive technologies. During the design phase, using contrast checking tools—such as those provided by WebAIM—helps verify that brand colour combinations meet minimum contrast ratios and are readable for users with visual impairments or colour blindness.

Ensuring that a website is compatible with screen readers is essential for users who are blind or visually impaired. Best practice includes:

• Writing semantic HTML with proper use of headings and landmarks.
• Providing alt text for all meaningful images.
• Ensuring form labels are associated correctly with form inputs.
• Avoiding reliance on visual-only content for navigation or understanding.

These measures ensure that screen reader users can effectively browse and engage with website content.

After development, websites should undergo thorough accessibility testing. Tools like WAVE by WebAIM can help identify errors and areas for improvement. Manual checks—such as keyboard-only navigation and screen reader testing—should also be carried out to ensure real-world accessibility.

It's also considered best practice to maintain an up-to-date Website Accessibility Statement that clearly explains which standards the website meets, known limitations, and how users can request accessible alternatives.

Destination websites can improve the user experience by allowing visitors to filter content based on specific accessibility features. Rather than relying on general or ambiguous labels (e.g. “accessible”), content should be tagged according to specific, recognisable criteria—such as:

• Step-free access
• Wheelchair-accessible toilet
• Assistance dogs welcome
• Assertive listen system available
• Designated quite space or room

Users should be able to apply filters that persist throughout their session, helping them discover attractions, events, and accommodations that meet their individual requirements.

This approach supports inclusive trip planning and ensures users can make informed decisions based on reliable and relevant accessibility data.

For destinations aiming to present accurate and useful accessibility information, structured data collection is key. A practical method is to distribute VisitEngland's tailored questionnaires to local businesses across categories such as accommodation, food & drink, attractions, and events.

These questionnaires are based on priority accessibility features identified through extensive consumer research led by VisitEngland. Facilitated by Access and Inclusion UK, this UK and Ireland-wide project identified the features people with accessibility requirements most commonly search for when planning trips.

The number of priority features varies by business type—typically between 20 and 30—and focuses on the facilities that most influence trip planning and booking decisions. By gathering this information, destinations can present content that allows users to filter listings based on specific, relevant access features, improving usability and supporting inclusive tourism.

VisitEngland has also published versions of these questionnaires that can be used by businesses on their own websites. These include both priority and secondary features that contribute to wider inclusion.

This data collection sits within a broader best practice framework for accessibility information, as defined by VisitEngland. The approach includes two core components:

1. Key Accessibility Features: A standardised set of priority features that users actively search for—such as step-free access, wheelchair-accessible toilets, or assistive listening systems. Displaying these clearly allows users to filter and compare venues that meet their individual needs.
2. Accessibility Guides: To support more detailed trip planning, destinations and businesses are encouraged to provide comprehensive guides describing access in greater depth. The recommended format is an AccessAble Detailed Access Guide, which provides structured information and photographs covering everything from parking and entrances to toilet layouts and sensory environments.

Together, these two components allow websites to offer both at-a-glance filtering and in-depth information, helping users plan their visits with confidence.

Chris Veitch, Inclusive Tourism Consultant, explains:

“It’s encouraging to see tools emerging that support destinations to collect and present accessibility information in a way that’s consistent, practical, and user-focused. Giving visitors access to the information they need to plan with confidence is key to truly inclusive tourism.”

By combining WCAG-compliant design, screen reader-friendly development, robust accessibility testing, structured data collection, and thoughtful presentation of accessibility information, destination websites can create a far more inclusive experience for visitors.

This isn’t just about compliance—it’s about improving the user journey, empowering people with confidence to plan trips that suit their needs, and making sure no one is excluded from exploring all that a destination has to offer.