The AccessAble Podcast

What does Accessible Tourism look like in 2026 and beyond? From Information to Industry Leadership

What does Accessible Tourism look in 2026 and beyond? From Information to Industry Leadership  Gregory Burke hosts the AccessAble Podcast with Marina Di Duca (Visit Scotland) and Ross Calladine (Visit England) to discuss what accessible tourism means in 2026 and how the definition has broadened from physical access to include sensory, cognitive, non-visible, and economic barriers.   In our latest conversation, they addressed common misconceptions such as equating accessibility solely with wheelchair access or compliance and emphasised incremental improvements, the business case for inclusion, and the influence of disabled travellers on wider spending.   Highlighting the importance of consistent, honest, detailed accessibility information that “describes rather than prescribes,” supported by feedback loops from customers and staff, noting collaborations with AccessAble and their partnership with 28 local visitor economy partnerships in England.  About our Host – Dr. Gregory Burke   Dr Gregory Burke is the Founder and Executive Chair of AccessAble, the UK’s leading provider of detailed accessibility information for disabled people. A wheelchair user since age 16, Gregory founded the organisation (originally DisabledGo) in 2000 to solve the "postcode lottery" of unreliable accessibility information that he personally experienced.   Gregory is a multi-talented leader who balances his work in tourism with a distinguished legal career as a leading barrister at 7BR Chambers in London. Specialising in employment and discrimination law, he was named one of the top 100 most influential disabled people in the UK for six consecutive years.  Connect with Gregory:  LinkedIn: Dr Gregory Burke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-burke-3598833/?originalSubdomain=uk]  Connect with our Guests   About Maria Di Duca – Visit Scotland    Marina Di Duca is the Inclusive Tourism Manager at VisitScotland, where she leads national efforts to ensure Scotland’s world-class tourism industry is accessible to everyone. With over 40 years of experience in marketing, corporate communications, and tourism development, Marina is a leading advocate for the "inclusive tourism" movement. Maria spearheads major accessibility initiatives, including a partnership with AccessAble to create over 300 Detailed Access Guides for Scottish venues.   Connect with Marina:  LinkedIn: Marina Di Duca [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-di-duca-837a541/]  Organisation Website: VisitScotland.org [https://www.visitscotland.org/]  About Ross Calladine – Visit England  Ross Calladine is the Accessibility and Inclusion Lead at VisitEngland and serves as the UK Government’s Disability and Access Ambassador for Tourism. With nearly 20 years of experience in the tourism sector, Ross is a globally recognised authority on inclusive travel, dedicated to making England a destination of choice for visitors with all types of access requirements.  Connect with Ross:  LinkedIn: Ross Calladine [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-calladine-97271a6/]  Organisation Website: VisitEngland [https://www.visitengland.com/]   Chapters and Timestamps  00:00 Welcome and Guests  00:46 Meet Marina Visit Scotland  01:51 Meet Ross Visit England  02:52 Defining Accessible Tourism  06:17 Complex Needs and Business Case for  08:20 Industry Misconceptions  11:03 Small Business Reality  13:50 Tourism Board Leadership  16:12 Fixing the Information Gap  22:55 Describe Not Prescribe  30:02 Initiatives That Work  35:07 Is the UK Leading in Accessible Tourism?  41:26 Closing Thanks  To download the full transcript of this episode, click here   [https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/sites/AccessAble-MarketingSharepoint/Shared%20Documents/Marketing%20202526/Content/Podcast/Visit%20England%20x%20Visit%20Scotland%20Podcast/(Transcript)%20%20How%20does%20Accessible%20Tourism%20look%20in%202026_%20Inclusion,%20Information,%20and%20Industry%20Leadership.docx?d=wa82249befcb8487ca3b39f9cde2b761e&csf=1&web=1&e=KhHabe] This podcast is produced and edited by Lucy Wood

The Tourism Providers Leading the Way in Accessibility

What does truly inclusive hospitality look like? In this episode of the AccessAble Podcast, host Carrie Ann Lightley sits down with award-winning leaders in accessible tourism. Felicity Brown (Hoe Grange Holidays), James Dixon (Marsham Court Hotel), Thania Meneses (Trimontium Museum), and Jenny Goodall (Eureka National Children’s Museum). Together, they share inspiring stories and practical tips on creating welcoming spaces for everyone—from rural log cabins and sensory-friendly hotel rooms to museums that adapt to visitors rather than the other way around. Discover: * Why accessibility is more than a business decision * Low-cost changes that make a big impact, * How detailed access information builds trust and confidence. * The business case for inclusion and why it matters for staff morale and customer loyalty. If you’re a hospitality professional, this episode has actionable insights and real-world examples to help you start or strengthen your accessibility journey. Listen now and learn how small steps can create big changes. View the transcript here (Opens in a new tab) [https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/IQBE5VgfqrOQRr1uVhh5ZunuAQaoLvTzxiIaXHmlKKGTnRM?e=OPr7pK] https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/IQBE5VgfqrOQRr1uVhh5ZunuAQaoLvTzxiIaXHmlKKGTnRM?e=OPr7pK

The AccessAble Ignite Series: Empowering Disabled Entrepreneurs

Episode 1: Gregory's journey In this episode of The AccessAble podcast, we’re launching a special mini-series called The AccessAble Ignite Series, which will celebrate the incredible journeys of disabled entrepreneurs.    To help us kick things off, our Chief Executive, Anna Nelson is joined by Dr. Gregory Burke, our Founder and Executive Chair, who will share his story as a disabled entrepreneur.    Almost 25 years ago, Gregory was a young disabled entrepreneur with a vision to improve the lives of disabled people - and the drive to make it happen. With an unsecured £25,000 loan, Gregory started a business that now serves 6 million disabled people annually, supports over 500 clients, and employs over 110 people. Now, Gregory wants to extend that opportunity to someone else.    Gregory tells us all about the new AccessAble Ignite Award, its mission, and how it’s designed to empower the next generation of innovators.  Join us as Gregory shares his journey and how he aims to make a difference in AccessAble’s 25th year.    To read a full transcript of this episode, please click here (Opens in a new tab) [https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/Shared%20Documents/Digital%20and%20Brand%20Marketing/Marketing%20Internal/PODCAST/Entrepreneur%20mini%20series/Episode%201%20Gregory%27s%20Story/Transcript%20The%20AccessAble%20Ignite%20Series_%20Empowering%20Disabled%20Entrepreneurs.docx?d=w1233ae656f8647d4a9d44a9dad410938&csf=1&web=1&e=KBFOvc] Produced by Lucy Wood Hosted by Anna Nelson

Championing Digital Accessibility with Holly Tuke

About This Episode In this episode of The AccesAble Podcast, we’re joined by digital accessibility advocate Holly Tuke to dive deep into the world of digital accessibility and why it's crucial for creating an inclusive online experience. Holly shares her personal journey and expertise, highlighting the key areas where businesses often fall short and how they can improve accessibility across their digital platforms—from websites and apps to social media and online content. Throughout the episode, Holly explains the importance of making digital spaces accessible to everyone, particularly disabled people, and offers practical tips for companies and individuals alike. Learn how small adjustments, such as adding alt text to images, creating keyboard-friendly navigation, and ensuring colour contrast, can have a huge impact on your audience. Whether you're a business owner or someone who creates content online, Holly’s insights will inspire you to take actionable steps toward digital inclusion. View the Transcript here (Opens in a new tab) [https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/EWLYheOmniVEnsM6pfjpID4B3a2sozphGJfPG7_sNbYJug?e=gX5Qkh] About our Guest Holly Tuke is an award-winning blogger. She was named in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 list in 2018 and in 2019, and also awarded Social Media Influencer of the Year at the 2019 RNIB See Differently Awards. Holly is registered blind and has ME/CFS. She uses her online platforms to document her experiences and strive for change, and she also works within the charity sector.  Find out more about Holly by visiting her website www.lifeofablindgirl.com (Opens in a new tab) [https://lifeofablindgirl.com/] About AccessAble For more information about AccessAble, visit ⁠AccessAble.co.uk ⁠(Opens in a new Tab) [www.accessable.co.uk] The AccessAble Podcast is hosted by Carrie–Ann Lightley and produced by Lucy Wood.

Raising the Curtain on Accessible Theatre Experiences with Emma Purcell and Pippa Stacey

About this Episode In the latest edition of The AccessAble Podcast, AccessAble’s Head of Marketing and Communications chats with AccessAble Ambassadors and theatre lovers, Emma Purcell and Pippa Stacey. Join us as we explore the world of theatre and discuss the improvements and adaptations the industry has made to make theatres inclusive for all. For a full transcript of this episode, click here [https://accessable.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/EZ_55vwAApVBpPm38vWY3KQB_1ppCDyZQDjRUG9tqrWWBg?e=ZLXFnU] About our Guests Emma Purcell Emma is a talented Freelance Journalist; Emma also blogs about her experiences at Rock for Disability and is the founder of Crip Life. She has a passion for live music, comedy, acting and is a Harry Potter fanatic. Pippa Stacey Pippa Stacey is an award-winning writer, speaker, and charity sector communication consultant. She blogs about living your best life alongside chronic illness and has been named in the Disability Power 100 multiple times. Her debut nonfiction book, University and Chronic Illness: A Survival Guide, was published in 2020. Pippa enjoys theatre and reading and can usually be found in pyjamas with a cup of tea in hand.  Episode Links ⁠Connect with Emma Purcell at Crip Life (Opens in new Tab) [https://criplife.co.uk/]and Rock for Disability (Opens in a New Tab) [https://rockfordisability.com/] ⁠Connect with Pippa at Life of Pippa (Opens in new Tab) [https://www.lifeofpippa.co.uk/] For more information about AccessAble, visit ⁠AccessAble.co.uk ⁠(Opens in a new Tab) [https://www.accessable.co.uk/] The AccessAble Podcast is Hosted by Carrie–Ann Lightley and Produced by Lucy Wood