PEOPLE
38 HOTELIER MIDDLE EAST | August 2019 | Volume 18 Issue 08
consistency is an important factor.
“Take the example of tactile paving,
a textured floor surface which enables
people who have a vision impairment to
be forewarned that there is an obstacle
ahead. This feature differs from emirate
to emirate in the case of the United Arab
Emirates, which can be problematic. We
hope that the DUDC will form the basis of
a consistent standard throughout the re-
gion,” Mifsud explains.
Hotels in the region also lack consist-
ency in the way toilet facilities are laid out.
A good practice bathroom layout can be
found in the DUDC, however, previously
the majority of accessible toilets have been
laid out to ADA requirements or other
international standards. This means that
every toilet is laid out differently and peo-
ple with severe mobility issues require a
consistent way of using the facilities. Dif-
fering facilities in every area affects confi-
dence, according to Mifsud.
There are also no set accessible bed-
rooms as previously, there was no legal
requirement to provide them. This goes
beyond just physical structures but also in
the way hotels are furnished. An example
is the lack of dropped counters for wheel-
chair users although it is a requirement
in the DUDC. Having a lowered counter
ensures that wheelchair users are able to
visit and speak to customer services on a
comfortable level. It can be degrading for a
wheelchair user or person of short stature
to look upwards or be unable to see across
the height of a counter according to the
managing director.
Hotels in Dubai also use flooring with an
excessive shine. This can make people with
impaired vision extremely apprehensive as
it could appear to be a wet and slippery
floor, “In new builds we always recom-
mend that flooring has a matt finish rather
PEOPLE
Tactile paving for people with vision impairment.than a shiny or glossy finish,” Mifsud says.
Additionally, there is a mix in the way
accessible parking spaces are marked out
causing potential confusion. Consistency
is critical to ensure that accessible park-
ing spaces are marked out in the same way
throughout the region, Mifsud explains.
“Many of the bays are marked out dif-
ferently using various international codes.
For example countless parking bays are
marked blue, some are plain with just a
wheelchair symbol and some don’t even
have hatched markings to the sides which
is critical to ensure that a wheelchair user
is going to have enough space to get back in
the car,” he adds.
Apart from the presence of the right fa-
cilities, the lack of information on accessi-
bility is affecting the tourism trade. A hotel
may have the right facilities to host people
of determination, however if they do not
market it right, the message will not reach
the right audience.
People of determination rely on know-
ing what facilities are available to them
prior to visiting a country and travel during
off peak or off season periods making them
an attractive market for hotels during sea-
sonally quiet periods, Mifsud says.
“Hotels need to provide full informa-
tion on their website about the access
features of the hotel and accessible
transport options. For example, if there
is ramp access to the swimming pool,
or how far the nearest metro station or
bus is. Include photographs both of the
interior and any local useful features. If
the metro station has a dropped kerb for
wheelchair access, show it [online].
“What surprises our clients is that it
can be simple things such as introducing a
management procedure or adding a flash-
ing beacon to an existing alarm system to
enhance accessibility,” he says.It is quite often the simplest things like
poor housekeeping that can be a barrier to
accessibility. For example, in many acces-
sible toilets guests find the emergency cord
alarm tied up, this means should someone
fall and need assistance, they won’t be able
to reach the cord.
Another good example is that toilet
facilities are used as storage which then
means that wheelchair users won’t have
the required flexibility to use the facility.
An access audit identifies these aspects
which are easy and free to immediately be
actioned upon.
“A good accessibility audit from a rec-
ognised accreditation, such as the UK’s
National Register of Access Consultants
will indicate actions that are required im-
mediately, in the short and medium term
and those that can wait until the next full
refurbishment,” Mifsud explains.
If you are a hotel owner or operator
looking to make your property acces-
sible for people of determination, the
first thing that needs to be done is an
accessibility audit.
This process will conclude with an ac-
tion plan to reach the ultimate goal of be-
ing accessible and inclusive for people of
determination. A qualified access consult-
ant from the UK’s National Register of ac-
cess consultants will look at the facilities in
place from top to toe including the current
level of training offered to staff members,
according to Mifsud.
An access consultant understands not
just the local legislation but best practice
from around the world. This enables ho-
tels to future-proof their design for any
updates to local legislation during the op-
erational stages of the project.
Making changes to existing design to
enhance accessibility does not have a sig-
nificant impact on cost if the consultant is
involved from the outset, Mifsud says.
Appointing a consultant also elimi-
nates the possibility of being misled by a
supplier, “Some suppliers state that their
products are compliant but if installation
is not done properly, it may make matters
worse,” Misfid says.
“We often see this with tactile paving
for blind people or those with low vision.
The design codes specify this must be at
the start and end of each flight of steps yet
installers only cover the top or bottom of
the steps. This is why it is crucial to ensure
specifications are correct.”