​Disabled tourism is worth £1.5 billion to the Scottish economy, says RNIB

Scotland’s tourism hotspots could cash in if they do more to encourage blind, partially sighted and disabled visitors.

RNIB Scotland says some attractions are missing out on their share of the estimated £1.5 billion disabled tourists generate each year.

The charity was backed by tourism minister Fergus Ewing, who said that the momentum of hosting last year's Commonwealth Games offered Scotland a major opportunity to develop and promote tourism businesses offering accessible services and facilities.

In an interview on RNIB’s Glasgow-based Insight Radio, Europe's first radio station for listeners with sight loss, Ewing said: "Everyone should have the chance to enjoy all that Scotland has to offer and we aim to become internationally recognised as a leading destination for people with access needs.

Accessible tourism is an area of great potential growth and increased accessibility benefits everyone not only those with visual impairment

"Improving accessibility has real potential to help achieve tourism industry growth ambitions and boost the wider economy as well as enhancing social equalities."

James Adams, RNIB Scotland’s campaigns manager, said: "Accessible tourism is an area of great potential growth and increased accessibility benefits everyone not only those with visual impairment. Disabled tourism is estimated at a potential £1.5 billion as against £1.8 billion for business tourism in Scotland, even though business tourism is supported by 75% more staff.

"Approaches that we would suggest include the development of briefings for staff on welcoming visually impaired guests, and working to ensure that some of our landmark visitor attractions meet high accessibility standards."

RNIB Solutions, the charity's commercial engagement arm, is already working with bodies such as Calmac, Strathclyde Passenger Transport, Visit Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland and Museum and Galleries Scotland to improve their physical and digital accessibility services.

RNIB's Insight Radio station broadcasts 24 hours a day online, on 101 FM in the Glasgow area, and on Freeview channel 730. Most of the station's presenters are blind or visually impaired.