By Hongrui Zhu.

 

At York St John University (YSJU), we aim to make learning not just meaningful but transformative, with a strong focus on social impact. One way we do this is by embedding accessibility and inclusivity into our teaching, helping our students shape how they understand the world and their place in it. This is particularly essential in the context of hospitality and tourism, as accessibility and inclusivity encompass offering barrier-free and inclusive services and facilities for everyone (Buhalis and Darcy, 2011; Lo Bianco, 2021). Incorporating the concepts of accessibility and inclusivity into our tourism and hospitality education enables students to connect theoretical concepts with real-world practices, thereby deepening their awareness and fostering their inclusive values.

 

Accessibility is not just about putting in a ramp or widening a doorway. It is about asking: who is being left out of this experience, and how can we change that? Our approach to this question is grounded in Work-Related Experiential Learning Framework (WREL) at YSJU. WREL gives students the opportunity to step beyond theory and engage directly with real-world operations and challenges.

 

A recent example of this is our field trip to The Milner York, a 4-star heritage hotel near York Railway Station. The Milner is a case study of what it means to integrate inclusive design to deliver excellence for all. Their facilities cater for a range of needs, such as accessible ensuite rooms and facilities with adjoining rooms for carers, assistive tools like pullcord alarms, dropdown rails and visual alarms in public areas, and assistive technology like vibrating pillows for guests with hearing impairments upon request (The Milner York, n.d.). It is a thoughtful and proactive approach that demonstrates how accessibility can be seamlessly integrated into hospitality environments.

 

But the visit was not just about observation. It sparked critical conversations as students were tasked with a creative challenge by designing customer profiles and mapping their journeys through the hotel for a poster presentation.

 

One profile featured ‘Sarah’, a wheelchair user visiting with her daughter for a relaxing weekend, who would benefit from the accessible bedroom offered by The Milner. Another imagined ‘Lola’, a deaf guest navigating the unfamiliarity of a city break with her guide dog, challenging the common perception that guide dogs are used only by people with visual impairments. To add another layer of security, she could also request a vibrating pillow to alert her in case of an emergency. These customer profiles were not just hypothetical, but were tools for building empathy and problem-solving skills. Students had to think beyond basic compliance and imagine what dignity, safety and comfort really look like from a guest’s perspective.

 

We also explored how technology is reshaping accessibility in the hospitality and tourism sectors. For instance, voice-controlled rooms can offer visually impaired guests greater independence by allowing them to manage room features through speech (Liu et al., 2024). AI-powered virtual concierges also provide personalised support through voice and text, helping guests with a range of access needs navigate their stay more comfortably (Kuo, Chen and Tseng, 2017). Tourist attractions have adopted AI to describe architectural details to visually-impaired tourists to enhance cultural experiences (Díaz-Rodríguez and Pisoni, 2020).

 

By engaging with these technologies and practices, students come to see accessibility not as a checklist, but as a mindset. It is about recognising that inclusive design benefits everyone and delivers excellence for all. The more powerful aspect of experiential learning is that it does not just teach skills, but shapes values. Our students leave these experiences with a clearer sense of their social responsibility as future professionals, striving to drive positive social change.

 

Of course, there is still work to do. Accessibility remains inconsistent across the sector, particularly where hidden disabilities are concerned. Awareness is growing, but implementation often lags behind. That is why education must lead the way by inspiring students to innovate, advocate and lead. Through experiential learning, we can move beyond theory and create spaces where students critically reflect, empathise and take meaningful action. Each field visit, case study, and real-world challenge becomes a chance to instil inclusive values. By guiding students to see accessibility and inclusion as essential, not optional, we are helping them become professionals who strive for social change. In doing so, we contribute to building a more just, welcoming, and equitable society.

 

References

Buhalis, D. and Darcy, S. (Eds.). (2011) Accessible tourism: Concepts and issues. Channel View Publications, Bristol.

Díaz-Rodríguez, N. and Pisoni, G. (2020, July) Accessible cultural heritage through explainable artificial intelligence. In Adjunct Publication of the 28th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (pp. 317-324).

Kuo, C.M., Chen, L.C. and Tseng, C.Y. (2017) Investigating an innovative service with hospitality robots. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(5), 1305-1321.

Liu, A., Ma, E., Wang, Y. C., Xu, S. and Grillo, T. (2024) AI and supportive technology experiences of customers with visual impairments in hotel, restaurant, and travel contexts. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 36(1), 274-291.

Lo Bianco, B. (2021) For a responsible, sustainable and inclusive tourism. In F. Grasso and B.S. Sergi (eds) Tourism in the Mediterranean Sea: An Italian perspective (pp. 185-197). Emerald Publishing Limited.

The Milner York. (n.d.) Accessibility Statement. Retrieved June 25, 2025, from https://www.themilneryork.com/accessiblity-statement.

 

Hongrui Zhu, Ph.D. is a Lecturer and Course Lead for International Tourism and Hospitality Management at York Business School, York St John University. He has a broad interest in tourism, hospitality and leisure, with a focus on incorporating technology and inclusivity into tourism, hospitality and leisure. He has a track record of journal and international conference publications in these areas.