Accessibility improvements for travel booking websites

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Expedia has enhanced its search offerings to include accessibility options for disabled travelers.

US travelers with specific accessibility requirements can now state them whilst launching a new search of the 15,000 hotels with published accessibility options. Examples of featured services include accessibility equipment for the deaf, accessible bathrooms, accessible paths of travel, Braille or raised signage, in-room accessibility or a roll-in shower.

Expedia's staff will also contact hotels on behalf of disabled travelers to ensure that their specific requests can be met before confirming a booking. Expedia says that 500 such bookings are made every week in the US and that the service will be introduced to Europe from July 2010.

"We are thrilled to offer this new functionality to our travelers," said Expedia's John Morrey. "It was a much-needed part of the online travel booking process and we are proud to be able to meet the needs of disabled travelers who require accessible accommodations."

On February 11, a survey conducted by the British organisations Co-operative Travel and disabled tourism charity Tourism for All reported that 93 per cent of disabled travelers found their choice of holidays restricted due to their disability. 84 percent said that they did not think that travel agents understood the holiday requirements of disabled people and 48 percent said that they preferred to book online.

Website: http://www.expedia.com/