ABTA believes that travel should be accessible to everyone, whether people are travelling for leisure, business or to visit family and friends, and that their experience should be as smooth as possible. To support this, it is crucial that ABTA members have the tools, confidence and clarity to support customers with their assisted travel and accessibility needs. The organisation's new accessible and assisted travel publication, developed with the support of members, people with lived experience and industry partners, is designed to do exactly that.

Accessible travel should not be treated as a niche product. One in four people in the UK have a disability or long-term health condition that may affect how they travel, and ABTA's Holiday Habits research shows that 24% of people say they have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health difficulty or specific learning difficulty that may affect them when travelling. The travel industry needs to respond with suitable solutions.

For members, the new publication goes far beyond outlining legal obligations and air travel responsibilities. It provides advice, information and practical guidance, giving teams a structured, confident way to deliver an excellent service.

Early dialogue is central to this approach. When customers feel comfortable sharing their needs upfront, members can secure appropriate transport, accommodation and assistance, reduce last-minute disruption and build trust that lasts well beyond a single booking. The new member publication complements ABTA's customer guidance and checklist launched earlier this year, and is helping people engage more effectively with travel professionals.

ABTA has also created a new accessible and assisted travel section within the Member Zone on ABTA.com, where the new publication is available to download.

ABTA will continue working with government, regulators and partners to improve accessibility across the supply chain. Creating an inclusive travel industry is a shared responsibility, and, together, meaningful, measurable progress can be made.