Abstract
The growth of the economy and culture has made tourism a necessary part of daily life. The number of elderly and disabled people actively participating in tourism is increasing, and so is the market for accessible travel. Despite this fact, little is known about the determinant factors affecting people with disabilities' satisfaction in developing countries. The current study aims to examine the effect of perceived value on customers' satisfaction, with emphasis on the mediating role of the destination image. Data were collected from 250 PWDs in Northern Cyprus. A series of analyses were performed using the partial least square structural equation modeling to test the research hypothesis. The results support the hypothesis that destination image mediates the relationship between perceived value and satisfaction for people with disabilities. The study enhances our knowledge of the importance of perceived destination image by PWDs that can have implications for destination marketing to improve the image and its reconstruction for an accessible tourism market.
TopIntroduction
Everybody should have the same right and opportunities to benefit from tourism. There are various reasons why not everyone can become a tourist, including economic constraints, mobility difficulties, psychological barriers, and/or lack of time. “Tourism for all” is the mission of accessible tourism, which aims to remove obstacles and limitations so that anyone can travel (Qiao et al., 2021).
PWDs make up approximately 15% of the world's population (World Health Organization, 2011), and their proportion is expected to become even greater as the world's population ages. Moreover, improvements in health care that allow for higher survival rates for PWD is another factor that enhances the growth of this number around the globe (Moura et al., 2022; WHO, 2011). Travel has become a human right issue and necessity for all people in the context of “social inclusion” (Cole, & Eriksson, 2010). However, physical disability in combination with social and cultural inequalities has resulted in discrimination and social invisibility of this population. This is more evident in developing economies with highly established tourism sectors (Akinci, 2013). The global tourism sector is seen as a driving force for destination development to attract and accommodate accessible tourism (hereafter “AT”) (Rubio-Escuderos et al., 2021). Efforts to make traveling and destinations accessible to people with disabilities are gaining ground and have become a topic of international discussion recently (Popiel, 2016). AT is defined as the removal of barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully experiencing a tourist attraction (Rubio-Escuderos et al., 2021).
Becoming a destination for AT is challenging notwithstanding its market value in terms of income generation, destination prestige, urban economic development, and job creation (Chen & Tsai, 2007). The challenges faced by destinations vary systematically and include physical design, respect for and preservation of the rights of PWDs, socio-cultural attitudes, the collaboration between different sectors, and more importantly, combining a strategic approach to AT in conjunction with the needs of the disabled population.
Therefore, destinations need to reshape their tourist landscape in order to accommodate AT demand (Oliver & Barnes, 2012). This way, the tourism sector can contribute to social inclusion and will not be accused of being able body-centric. It is argued that “the focus in disability policy needs to shift. It is not only about how to change disabled people so that they can better cope in their environment, but also vice versa, to change the environment (destination) so that it is suitable for people with impairments” (Tøssebro, 2004). Therefore, understanding the preferences, behaviors, and interests of PWDs is critical for the tourism industry, especially accessible tourism (Al-Ansi & Han, 2019), because tourists choose their destination and make their decisions based on destination perceptions rather than reality (Kani et al., 2017; Nazir et al., 2021).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Disability: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, or learning.
Destination Image: The overall perception or mental picture that people have of a particular destination, shaped by factors such as marketing, promotional materials, personal experiences, and word-of-mouth.
Market Segmentation: The process of dividing a larger market into smaller subgroups or segments based on shared characteristics, needs, or behaviors. In the context of accessible tourism, market segmentation may involve identifying specific groups of people with disabilities who have unique needs and preferences.
Perceived Value: The overall perceived benefit or worth that a customer or tourist receives from a particular product or service, relative to the price or effort required to obtain it.
Satisfaction: The degree of pleasure or contentment that a person experiences after consuming or experiencing a particular product or service.
Barrier-Free Tourism: Tourism that removes physical, sensory, or cognitive barriers that may prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in tourism activities or accessing tourism facilities.
Accessible Tourism: Accessible tourism refers to the provision of tourism products, services and facilities that are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical, sensory, cognitive, or other disabilities or limitations. This includes the provision of accessible transportation, accommodation, attractions, activities, and services, as well as the training of tourism industry staff to better serve people with disabilities.
Inclusive Tourism: Tourism that promotes the participation and enjoyment of all people, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or personal characteristics.