Drivers of physical accessibility among hotels

Abstract

Using the concept of Universal Design, this study examines the state of physical accessibility and its drivers among hotels in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana through physical accessibility audit and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that there is poor compliance with physical accessibility though four and five-star hotels have better compliance than lower rated hotels. Also, non-compliance among lower rated, local hotel brands is driven by commercial interest and lack of clarity and enforcement of disability legislation while compliance among higher rated, multinational brands is driven by the desire to comply with disability legislation, remain competitive, and adhere to the standards of parent companies. The implications of these findings in the context of hotel design and management are discussed