Pronita Misra is your average single professional … she works hard, parties harder and loves to travel. The problem is that a weekend trip typically sets her back by Rs 30,000, so her travel plans are few and far between. This is not because she prefers vacationing in style. She doesn’t have a choice as she suffers from muscular dystrophy.
“Try Googling wheelchair-friendly rooms and the search results are dominated by luxury hotels. Even in these, only one or two rooms have been retrofitted to suit the needs of the differently abled. Because of me, my travel partners are also forced to spend far more than they normally would,” says the 28-year-old wheelchair-bound BPO executive based in Bengaluru.
According to Shivani Gupta, cofounder, AccessAbility, a leading universal design consulting firm, the government’s hotel classification system does not help. “Why should the disabled-friendly guidelines be limited to four- and five-star hotels when the masses go to budget hotels?” she asks.
With the Ministry of Tourism’s renewed focus on inclusive tourism, things may finally be changing for the better for 10% of India’s population, or 100 million people with disabilities (PwDs). According to the recently released guidelines for hotel classification, all operational hotels, irrespective of the category, will have to offer facilities for PwDs by 1 September 2010, in time for the Commonwealth Games.
However, the differently abled need not wait for the Games to avail of these facilities. Many budget hotels—like the Ginger chain, where a night’s stay costs Rs 1,500— already boast wheelchair-accessible common areas in addition to special rooms. From independent hotels like Chennai’s three-star Deccan Plaza to time-share players like Country Club, everybody is keen to join the barrier-free movement.
Take the Jewel in the Jungle near the Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh. It is reportedly India’s only wildlife resort catering to guests with special needs. Or the fully accessible houseboat introduced by Saroma Holidays. The latter is now working to launch what is likely to be India’s first 100% disabled-friendly resort in Kerala.
Scheduled to open in 2010, the resort is being built along the universal design principles. This essentially advocates an easy-touse design—from architecture to interiors—to suit all people, irrespective of their physical attributes or disabilities. Says Shashidharan S, director, business development, Saroma Holidays: “Building a disabled-friendly resort costs about 20% more than a regular resort, but we won’t pass on these costs to our guests by way of higher tariffs. The rates will be the same as those for any deluxe resort.”
Anjlee Agarwal, executive director, Samarthyam, an NGO focused on improving accessibility environments, disagrees. “Retrofitting a room to make it accessible to all requires a one-time investment, which is less than 0.01% of its original cost,” she claims. Adopting universal design at the blueprint stage is cheaper, particularly if you don’t consider it a special gesture to PwDs. Says Agarwal: “When you talk about convenient water closets, gentle ramps or grab bars in bathrooms, it’s not just disabled-friendly, but user-friendly as well. Such a design is equally suited to recuperating patients, pregnant women, those suffering from arthritis or fractures, and the elderly, who form a money-spinning travel segment.”
Recognising this, hotel chains like the Park Group and ITC hotels have teamed up with AccessAbility to make their forthcoming properties accessible to all. AccessAbility has also launched an online travel guide for PwDs, free2wheel.co.in, currently limited to the National Capital Region.
The barrier-free mantra is also spilling over to entertainment zones. What started with Dilli Haat, India’s first 100% accessible tourist spot, has spread to Qutub Minar and Safdarjung’s tomb. In the next two years, the Archaeological Survey of India will be working on a barrier-free Taj Mahal and Mahabalipuram’s monuments. In the meantime, if you are differently abled, consider taking a holiday with Samarthyam. The NGO has organised over 60 tours for PwDs to places as diverse as Agra, Port Blair and Shillong. The best part is that these trips are priced attractively to suit all budgets.
HOT DEALS
A pick of spa packages that combine family fun with relaxation.
The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Cost: Rs 35,000 per couple
Contact: 1800-11-2030
The monsoon is considered the ideal time to detoxify the body. Which is why the Oberoi Group has launched a Spa Vacation package. The offer includes a two-night stay in a premier room and an additional room for up to two children below 12 years (subject to availability), daily breakfast, complimentary airport transfers and a 15% discount at the spa. The offer is valid till 30 September.
The Retreat by Zuri, Goa
Cost: Rs 6,666 per couple
Contact: 0-9999732327
Combine sand and surf with some pampering and rejuvenation, and you have all the ingredients for a great holiday. The rate for the spa package includes a night’s stay, airport transfers, all meals, a 20% discount on spa treatments, complimentary stay and meals for two children under 12 years. The offer is valid till January 2010, except on national holidays.
